Pieces and Passion
by Mockingjay59
Summary: Follow on from "The Missing Pieces", Peeta and Katniss are adjusting to life back in 12. They are blissfully unaware that their lives are about to change again dramatically.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Katniss doesn't know what is wrong with her. She has been feeling so tired lately and just a little unwell. Peeta has been hovering over her, but she just tells him she is fine and not to worry. It's been 3 months since her return to District 12 and two months since Peeta came home. They have taken this time to rebuild their relationship and Katniss feels so much more at peace now with Peeta by her side. He is her rock and she is not afraid to admit it, at least to herself, anymore.

The phone starts to ring and Katniss races down the stairs to answer it. They don't get calls very often so she doesn't want to miss this one. It has to be from someone outside of District 12 because people just don't phone each other here.

"Katniss!"

It is Annie, Finnick's wife.

"Hi, Annie. How are you and baby Finn?"

"We're fine. We were hoping you could come down and visit with us for a few days. Peeta thinks you need a break. He says you have been feeling tired and thought a bit of female company might be just what you need".

Peeta had that right! Between him and Haymitch there wasn't much conversation that a woman could enjoy. Of course, Katniss was fine with the boys as she could match them in almost anything. Admittedly, she never tried to compete with Peeta when it came to baking though. He was the expert and she loved all the goodies he produced and brought home for them to share. Still, Katniss was surprised and a little annoyed that Peeta had put her on the spot like that. She never liked to seem weak and, if it had been anyone else but Annie, Katniss would have marched right over to the bakery to tell him so!

"That sounds great, Annie. I'd love to come. Peeta shouldn't worry about me so much, but he is probably right. It would be great to have some female company for a change".

So, it was settled. Katniss would travel to District 4 for a few days to visit with Annie and she was even more excited at the idea of seeing baby Finn when she got there. It had been a while since she had been around children, so few had returned to District 12 since the rebellion.

Peeta walks in and looks for Katniss. He has brought some loaves for their lunch and wants to have a chat with her about taking a break. He is becoming quite concerned that she is looking somewhat pale and has been feeling tired lately. With no sign of Katniss downstairs, he calls out her name and bounds up the stairs to see if he can find her there. She is packing a bag in their room and he suddenly becomes concerned.

"Going somewhere?" he says.

"It was your idea" says Katniss.

Peeta doesn't know what she means, so he asks her again.

"Why are you packing a bag, Katniss?"

"Annie phoned me and asked if I would like to come and visit for a few days. She said you had been talking to her about me".

Katniss sounds annoyed and Peeta knows that he has probably stepped over the line by talking to Annie and telling her how he is worried about Katniss.

"I was just concerned, Katniss. You haven't been yourself lately and I thought the company would do you good. You know, another woman to talk to instead of being around us men all the time".

"You're right" she says. "I really want to see little Finn and it will be good to see how Annie is doing as well, after everything she's been through".

Peeta starts to wonder now if the trip will be too much for Katniss. She is still recovering from the aftermath of the Games and the Rebellion. There is a good chance all she needs is more rest and now she would be thinking of others again instead of herself.

"Katniss, if you would rather stay and rest, that's fine. I don't want you to wear yourself out".

Peeta begins to feel the old dread and longing that always came with allowing Katniss out of his sight. This hasn't really happened since their return to District 12. They are never more than a short walk away from each other and that's the way Peeta likes it. Even though he knows things are safe again in the Districts and in the Capitol, he just always wants to keep her close and make sure she is OK.

"No, Peeta. It's fine. You have been working a lot lately and sometimes I feel you need a break, especially with me keeping you up at night with my bad dreams".

Last night Katniss had been very restless in her sleep. Peeta heard her call out for Prim and then start whimpering while she clawed at her arms and body. Peeta imagined she might be clawing at her bandages, the ones that covered her burns after she was injured in the explosion. The shock of Prim's death had nearly driven her mad with grief. That grief had turned into rage. A new, cold rage that Katniss had directed at the Capitol. Specifically, President Alma Coin. He knew that killing others would never assuage the grief Katniss felt over Prim. There was only one thing, and that was time.

"Katniss, I don't need a break from you or your dreams. If anyone can understand what that must be like, it's me. More likely, I won't be able to sleep without you by my side".

Katniss knows he is telling the truth. Neither of them sleep as well without the other. Their most exquisite moment of coming together was thanks to the Capitol, and the nightmares the Games had produced. Katniss, unable to sleep that night, had crept into Peeta's room hoping to find him still awake. When she found him sleeping, she tried not to disturb him as she climbed into the bed beside him. This is what they had often done in the past, but it was the first time she had felt comfortable enough to be this close to him since his return to District 12.

Katniss remembers how tenderly Peeta had held her that night when he said to her "You love me, real or not real?". "Real" she had replied. Peeta had then taken her in his arms and kissed her. Softly at first, then more passionately, a passion she quickly matched with her own. Giving herself completely to him, Katniss had experienced something deep in her soul. She could not remember desiring anyone, or their touch, so much. From then on, the two of them had become inseparable.

Somehow their relationship was different to her past friendship with Gale. He and Katniss had shared a fierce loyalty, but Gale did not excite her senses the way Peeta did. Their passion had been for their families, and hunting together was a part of that. What Katniss felt for Peeta was new and unique. Peeta felt it, too and Katniss knew he had been feeling this way about her for a long time. Katniss realised how patient Peeta had been with her and how hurt he must have been when she put up her defences again after the first Games. Snow had seen how conflicted she was. What was it he had said about indifference? No wonder the Capitol had taken the opportunity to use Peeta's pain to turn him against her. If only she had not pushed him away then.

"Katniss" Peeta calls her out of her reverie.

"Peeta, it will be good for both of us I am sure. It is only for a few days and I will call you every day if you like. In fact, I want to! I don't know if I can trust you and Haymitch to behave while I am away".

Peeta laughs and grabs Katniss around the waist. She has been eating well lately and he loves the feeling of her thick waist when he grabs her. He begins to kiss her and knows he will miss her badly while she is gone. A small sigh escapes her lips as she says "Peeta".

Peeta decides he is not going to let her go just yet.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

In the morning Peeta brings Katniss to the station. It is hard for him to see her leave. Thankfully they both had a very peaceful night's sleep with no dreams and woke up this morning feeling refreshed. Peeta has to be at the bakery by 9am. He planned a later start so that he could see Katniss off and he is glad he will be busy for the rest of the day so that he can take his mind off her departure.

Katniss gives Peeta a big hug and kisses him deeply on the lips. This is the first time she will be away from him since his return and she is having second thoughts about leaving him now. Even though he is so much better and her nightmares seem to be more regular than his, she still worries about him having too much time to himself. She knows those are the times when all the old demons from the Games, and especially Peeta's hijacking, come creeping back to disturb his thinking, not just his dreams. To be on the safe side, she has organized for Haymitch to check on him everyday and she will call him as well. If there is any sign of trouble she will come straight back home.

The train begins to pull out of the station and Katniss starts to feel sick. This is not like her. She knows some people get sick when they are in motion, like on a train or in a vehicle, but she is not one of them. Maybe it is just because she is anxious about leaving Peeta. She found it hard to get down any breakfast this morning as well. The train begins to speed out of District 12 and Katniss closes her eyes. The last time she left on the train from this station was when she was headed to the Quarter Quell with Peeta. It seems like a lifetime ago, so much has happened since then. This was the place where she had suggested, quite pragmatically, that she and Peeta should get married. Haymitch had not taken her seriously and her suggestion had just made Peeta mad. "Let's do it!" he had said without an ounce of feeling. It was just like making a business deal and Katniss still does not know why she suggested it. Was it her heart being ruled by her head or the other way around? No one else had suggested marriage as a way of keeping them alive or their Districts safe, why had she? Snow had threatened her, but he was not demanding they get married, at least not then.

Neither Katniss nor Peeta had mentioned marriage again since becoming close and sharing a bed. Somehow Snow had ruined that for her as well. He had used it as a tactic in his game and now it just felt dirty and useless to her. She was glad that Peeta had not brought the subject up and maybe she and Annie could talk about some of these things while they were together. Katniss remembered Annie and Finnick's beautiful wedding in District 13 and how enraged she felt at the time knowing that Snow had robbed her and Peeta of the special relationship they had. Not just robbed them of their relationship, but robbed Peeta of his mind. That was when she told Johanna she was going to kill him. Peeta was the reason why. Would she ever be able to have a wedding like Annie and Finnick, minus the stain of Snow and his wickedness? Katniss didn't know.

Suddenly Katniss knows she is going to be sick. Jumping up she makes her way to the end of the carriage and finds a bathroom that is not nearly as fancy as the one she had used on her way to the Capitol the last time. Everything has been downgraded to make the Districts more equal with the Capitol. Of course they didn't have the money to do things the other way around! In some ways she missed the exuberance and richness she had experienced at that time. Katniss knew it was criminal to spend that amount of money on luxuries, but it did leave a mark in her memory that was hard to let go. Effie would understand.

Leaning over the bowl Katniss brings up what little she has eaten for breakfast. She has to steady herself and sit down for a moment while she catches her breath. This is not like her at all.

The trip to District 4 takes about 8 hours and Katniss has eaten very little during the journey. She's afraid she will not be able to keep it down, so she just drinks water and has a dry cracker or two. Peeta had packed some food for her to bring down to Annie and to eat on the way, but Katniss, for some reason, cannot face his famous cheese rolls right now. Just the thought of them is making her feel sick.

At nearly 6.30pm the train begins to pull into District 4. Katniss smells the sea breeze long before they have reached the station and it tantalises her nostrils. It also reminds her of the last Games and how close she came to drowning in seawater then. Her nausea actually reminds her of the spinning Cornucopia and how sick she felt while it spun around , how she failed to hold on and just managed to pull herself back up when it stopped. There were so many memories flooding into her mind right now they were assaulting her senses. This trip was not going to be as easy as she thought. She wondered how Peeta was doing back at home. The first thing she would do when she got to Annie's house was call him. They had been too long apart already.

Katniss sees Annie on the platform with Finn in her arms. He has grown quite a bit and looks healthy and strong. Blond curls cover his head and he snuggles into Annie's shoulder as Katniss alights from the train. Katniss takes Annie in a big hug. She looks well, too, and asks Katniss how her trip from District 12 has been.

"To be honest, I have been feeling a little queasy all day, so I haven't eaten much, but that means there will be more for us to enjoy together tonight. Peeta's been baking in preparation and sent me down with some of his finest, and my favourite, treats". Katniss gives Annie a big smile and Annie knows this is because Katniss is proud of Peeta, his skill and his thoughtfulness. She has always known that Katniss loved Peeta. At the same time she remembers wondering how long it would take Katniss to work it out. Peeta's hijacking had taken a terrible toll on their relationship and the difference for her and Finnick had been that she had not been in love with the Mockingjay, the instigator of the Revolution. The Capitol had gone much easier on her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Capitol

It's been 3 months now since the end of the Rebellion. Gale has not seen or spoken to Katniss since. He probably never will. The death of Coin shocked them all, especially him. There had been no indication that Katniss would kill Coin. It didn't make sense. Coin had protected them all and if it wasn't for her there would never have been a successful end to the Revolution. What had Katniss been thinking?

Gale goes over in his mind what has happened since the Rebellion. Paylor has taken over command of all the districts and the Capitol. Plutarch is overseeing the strategy related to keeping the Districts in line. It's all about moves and countermoves as Plutarch would say. The rebellion has created an element of lawlessness in the Districts. People don't know how to handle their new found freedom. Without the iron grip of the Capitol, communities are breaking down all across Panem. The Capitol, under Snow, had created boundaries and the certainty around these no longer existed. Without this certainty people have begun to make decisions about their lives that do not always align with the Capitol's plans.

Plutarch, the master of "Propos", is hard at work to ensure that the Districts know who is in charge, but he has the difficult task of convincing them without the threats used by President Snow. The Games had always kept the Districts in line. Now, they need a new idea of how that can be done and it is just a matter of time before Plutarch, with the leadership, will decide what that idea would be. Also, there are still pockets of Capitol rebels resisting the new leadership in Panem. What is obvious to Gale now, and what has always been obvious to the Gamemakers of Panem, is that the games never really come to an end.

Gale lays back on his bed and thinks about Katniss. Since her departure back to District 12 he is beginning to wonder if he really knew her at all. She had always been so guarded. Then, there was the sense of betrayal he felt when she had kissed Peeta during those first Hunger Games. Katniss must have known that he would be watching. "I did what I needed to do to survive" she had said. That might have been true then, but the Quarter Quell had proved that not only had she been lying to him, she had been lying to herself as well. Her dismissal of him after Coin had called her to the meeting had made him see Katniss in a new way. After all, Katniss had been the instigator of the Rebellion and he had taken his lead from her. They had been in the fight together, right up to the very end. He had even risked his own life to rescue Peeta for her. Little did he know at the time that Peeta had been turned into a weapon by the Capitol to destroy Katniss. He should have just left Peeta there to die, but Gale knows it is his own actions, and not Peeta, that are the reason Katniss hates him. Or is she merely indifferent to him now? Either way, he has lost her friendship forever and he doubts there is any way of getting it back.

It is time to head out on Peacekeeping duties. Gale puts on the full gear minus the helmet. The leadership decided, in one of Plutarch's strategic moves, that if people were to trust the new Peacekeeping force that they would need to look less formidable and more approachable. They had downgraded the body armour as well so the vests were similar to the one Cinna had designed for Katniss before the last Games, the one that had saved her life when she was shot in District 2. Peacekeepers still carry weapons, but they are smaller and more discreet, ensuring that the population does not feel threatened. Of course, the Capitol people never felt threatened by the Peacekeepers.

They are more anxious about the swarthes of District people coming into the Capitol either to find work or just sightsee. Many of them are having trouble adjusting to the new regime and can't get used to the strange looks given to them by people from the Districts, who often laugh at them and make fun of their outlandish style. Never having known another way of life, the Capitol people are the ones who feel threatened now. Gale has occasionally had to come to their rescue when they have been surrounded by onlookers in the street. But people from the Districts do not just find them amusing. There is a real anger still towards these vacuous people who have known nothing but luxury and pampering all their lives. Gale has felt it, too. He still has not forgotten what they did to District 12. At the same time he knows that these people are just as much victims of the Capitol as Gale is himself. He wonders if Katniss would agree.

Walking into the evening air, Gale wishes he could see the woods again. The woods in District 12 where he and Katniss had hunted together. Katniss with her bow and arrow, chasing down game and sometimes even looking to him when she needed some help. She had asked his advice once on how to set a trap and he thought the best way to show her was to set a trap for her! Katniss had walked straight into it and, once she had gotten over being angry with him, they had laughed so hard. Katniss did not like anyone to make a fool of her but, as this was a private joke, she didn't hold it against him. She had so much more to hold against him now.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: New Life

Katniss sits down with Annie and Finn to eat the evening meal. It consists of some lovely fish that Annie has cooked, some strange looking seaweed that is very salty, and some of the rolls that Peeta has prepared for them as well. Katniss can feel her stomach turn, but she makes the effort to eat what Annie has prepared. The fish is steamed and fresh. Katniss has only eaten fish once, on the beach with Finnick and Peeta during the last Games, and that time it was raw. This tasted so much better! The seaweed is an acquired taste, but she tries some anyway and then bites into one of Peeta's rolls. Somehow, just holding the roll in her hands brings tears to her eyes and she hopes that Annie doesn't see.

"How is Peeta doing, Katniss?"

"He is fine. He has set up the bakery again and has been very busy with all the people starting to return to the District". She knows this is not what Annie means and that she really wants to know if Peeta is still experiencing any flashbacks. Annie doesn't push the point. There will be plenty of time to have that conversation with Katniss later. Annie thinks Katniss is looking well, if not a bit pale, and reassures herself that everything is ok between Peeta and Katniss.

"What about you, Annie?" Katniss asks. "How are you managing with Finn on your own?"

"We are doing OK. He is too young to know anything about Finnick yet, but we have plenty of time to share those memories when he is a bit older. The main thing is that I have Finn and he keeps me busy. Everyday I talk to Finnick about him, how much he has grown, what he can do. And he looks just like him, don't you think?"

"Yes" says Katniss quietly as her mind goes back to the sewers and her desperate actions when she made the decision to end Finnick's suffering. She feels so responsible for his death. Annie does not seem to hold this against her, although Katniss is not sure how much Annie really knows and it is probably better to keep it that way. Katniss begins to feel sick again and excuses herself to use the bathroom. It has been a long day and she still hasn't called Peeta. Taking deep breaths she tries to push down the nausea threatening to engulf her. Grabbing the edge of the sink she throws up the dinner she has just eaten. Annie comes in behind her.

"What's wrong, Katniss?"

"I don't know. I keep having these sudden attacks of nausea and I am having trouble keeping anything down".

Annie takes a long hard look at her.

"Katniss, how close have you and Peeta become since his return to District 12?"

Katniss thinks this is a strange question and a little too personal.

"What do you mean?" asks Katniss.

"I mean, have you and Peeta been sharing a bed?"

Katniss is taken aback. How could Annie possibly know that she and Peeta are no longer the "star crossed lovers" of District 12, but real lovers beginning to share a life together? And what has it got to do with her? Katniss feels anger rising up inside. This is hers and Peeta's business, not Annie's or anyone elses.

"Annie, Peeta and I are as close as we can be and we have often shared a bed to keep from having the nightmares that the Games brought on. I don't see what that has to do with anything!"

"Katniss, I think you might be pregnant".

Katniss sits down on the seat. She and Peeta had not made any plans for the future, nor had they thought about what their lovemaking could mean. For Katniss it was the closeness to Peeta, the way he made her feel, the desire to held and feel safe. Peeta had always made her feel safe. Now she felt scared and a little alone. A baby? Peeta's baby? The thought suddenly took her breath away. She was having Peeta's baby! There was a new life growing inside her and it was his and hers. It was theirs. Katniss had thought that they could not share any more deeply than they had already, but now she knows that isn't true. The thought brings tears to her eyes.

"Oh, Annie! Peeta and I never thought about children. We never thought about any of that and we are not even married!"

Annie smiles at Katniss. Not being married will be the least of Katniss' worries now.

"Katniss, marriage is not the most important thing right now. Looking after yourself is. When did you and Peeta first make love?"

For Katniss, this was still too personal, but she guessed that Annie knew what she was talking about and could maybe give her some advice.

"He came back to the District about 2 months ago, so I guess it would have been two weeks after that"

Katniss can feel her cheeks flushing. She didn't like sharing her personal life with other people and she didn't like admitting that she had needed Peeta that much after his arrival back in 12.

"It sounds like you might be about 6 weeks along. That means you will have 34 weeks to go. At this stage you need to rest and do what you can to get food into you. The baby will need it".

Katniss realizes that she now has another life to protect. This is what she had been hoping to avoid. She is still trying hard to protect Peeta and their newfound relationship. How is she going to protect a newborn child as well? This baby would need everything she had left to give. Katniss just hopes she is up to the job.

"Can I call Peeta?" Katniss asks. She needs to talk to him, feel his presence, know he cares. Peeta always makes everything OK. At the same time Katniss know that what she really needs is for him to be here.

"Sure, Katniss. He will be waiting for your call. Finn and I are going to bed now, so I will see you in the morning".

Katniss sits down on the couch. A baby. What will Peeta say?

"Hello?"

"Peeta!" Katniss can't keep the excitement out of her voice. She is so glad to hear him on the other end of the phone.

"Katniss! How are you? How was your trip? I just got home a little while ago and Haymitch is coming over for some dinner and to keep me company". Peeta feels like he needs to reassure her that everything is OK with him. "I miss you so much".

Katniss could hear it in his voice. He really did miss her and she missed him, too.

"I'm fine, Peeta. Annie is looking after me well and your cheese rolls went down a treat!"

"That's good. I thought Annie would like those and I know they're your favourite".

"Peeta, I have something to tell you".

Peeta doesn't like the idea of Katniss being so far away while having something to tell him. Why couldn't she tell him while she was here? Has she been keeping something from him? Peeta begins to feel a little uncomfortable so he encourages her to go on.

"What is it Katniss. Is everything OK?"

"Yes, yes" she says. "Everything's fine". Katniss hesitates, not knowing how to break the news.

"What is it then?" asks Peeta starting to become a little impatient with the delay.

"We're going to have a baby!"

Peeta isn't sure he has heard Katniss correctly. Did she say they were going to have a baby?!

"Katniss what are you talking about? How do you know?"

"Annie told me. She knows. The tiredness, the sickness, they are all signs, and I have been feeling a bit emotional lately, too".

That was true. Katniss had been very teary lately and the slightest thing would set her off, although she often tried to hide this from him. Just before she had gone to District 4 he remembered coming home one day to find her lying on the bed and holding the locket he had given her during the last Games. She always kept it beside her, and sometimes wore it, but she was inconsolable as she held it in her hand. Of course, Prim's picture was in there and her mother's too. She had long ago replaced the photo of Gale with one of Peeta, but she had looked at him strangely and said "Nobody needs me". Katniss knew that wasn't true. This is what he had said to her during the Games but that would never be true of Katniss. How could she even think that? Peeta told her "I need you, Katniss" just as she had done for him when they were in the Games. "Prim's gone, my mother isn't here, I never want to see Gale again and I am just a burden to you. The fact is, if it wasn't for me, none of this would ever have happened!" Peeta had tried to comfort her, told her that he loved her and would be there for her always. She would never be a burden to him. "I need you" he had told her again. It was only by Peeta taking her in his arms and holding her that he could convince Katniss that he needed her as much as she needed him.

"Oh, Katniss!. That's wonderful! We're going to have a baby! "

There was finally a concrete expression of their love. Katniss could not be happier and neither could Peeta..

"Katniss, I love you. I am so proud of you everyday. You make me so happy. When are you coming home?"

"Well, I probably should rest for a couple of days now that I am here. And of course I want to spend some time with Annie. I am sure she can give me lots of good advice. What if I come back after the weekend and then you and I can celebrate together?"

"I can't wait". Peeta means it. He can't wait to take Katniss in his arms again and hold her close. He now has an explanation for Katniss' thickening waistline and her appetite before she had begun to feel sick. Nothing could take away his happiness now. It was complete. No more Games, no more Rebellion and, if he was being honest with himself, no more Gale.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Flashback

Peeta can't wait to tell Haymitch the news. Katniss is pregnant! That means Haymitch is going to be an Uncle. Peeta wonders what Haymitch will think and is sure he will have no problem "wetting" the baby's head. This is an old tradition in District 12 and a way of celebrating the birth of a new baby, although Haymitch didn't really need an excuse to have a drink. Tonight they would be starting the celebrations early.

Peeta sets the table for the two of them. Haymitch is bringing some meat to cook and Peeta quickly prepares some potatoes to go on the side with greens fresh from the garden. Since his return he has been encouraging Katniss to take an interest in the garden, starting with the planting of the Primrose. Katniss, being the practical kind, and remembering the hunger of the past, decided she wanted a vegetable patch. Peeta didn't argue with her. He was the one with an eye for colour and design. Katniss knew that.

He remembers how overwhelmed she was the first time he brought her to see Prim's grave. It was covered in the flowers that Prim had been named after in shades of pink, yellow and cream. The flowers were blooming and he wanted her to see their beauty and remember Prim that way. Katniss had broken down and Peeta stayed with her for a long time just allowing her to grieve. She found it difficult to leave the first time, but now she goes down to visit Prim nearly every day. It helps Katniss to have Prim so close.

Peeta hears the front door open and waits for Haymitch to walk in.

"What's for dinner?" comes the voice from the entrance.

"I thought you had the food" calls Peeta.

"No, I've got the drink" says Haymitch.

Well, at least that much was covered. Peeta reaches into the fridge for some sliced meat as Haymitch walks in.

"This will have to do then" says Peeta.

"No problem. With Katniss away the mice will play" chuckles Haymitch.

They sit down to eat, Peeta carves some bread and Haymitch pours them both a drink. Peeta stops Haymitch before he can take a drink and says "I would like to make a toast!" Haymitch thinks that's a bit strange considering Katniss' departure.

"And what exactly are we toasting? The fact that Katniss is not here keep you in your place?"

Peeta knows that Haymitch does not really mean that. Haymitch and Katniss have a love/hate relationship and this is their language. If she was here, she would give an equally good response.

"Of course not" says Peeta. "You are going to be an Uncle!"

"What?" says Haymitch confused. He doesn't have any family. He will never be an Uncle.

"I am talking about Katniss".

"What about Katniss?" says Haymitch.

"Remember at the Quarter Quell when you raised your glass to me at the end of my interview? Can you remember what I had just told Caesar Flickerman?"

"Sure. You told him you wouldn't have any regrets, if it wasn't for the baby".

"Exactly!" says Peeta. Was he going to have to spell it out for Haymitch?

"Katniss wasn't having a baby" says Haymitch still confused.

"Well, she is now!" declares Peeta.

Haymitch sits at the table with a shocked expression on his face. Katniss is having a baby?

"Are you serious?! Well, I never knew you had it in you!"

Haymitch had no idea. Peeta and Katniss had been living in the same house for the last few weeks and he hadn't suspected a thing. He was used to the way they were during the Games, when he had to coax them to show any affection. Or coax Katniss at least. She was just not the affectionate kind, always guarded. What a comeback for the whole team this was! Haymitch still thought of them as a team and he is going to make damn sure Effie hears about this before anyone else, except for Katniss' mother of course. Haymitch assumes they will call her Aunty Effie and he smiles to himself.

The two of them drink into the early hours of the morning and celebrate the good news. Peeta hopes that Katniss doesn't mind he has told Haymitch about the baby. He wants to tell the whole world! Eventually, the two of them fall into their beds with Haymitch sleeping in the spare room. He is not capable of walking the 25 yards back to his house tonight.

Haymitch does not know what has woken him, but he can hear a noise coming from Peeta 's room. He gets out of bed and crosses over the hall to check on him. Listening at the door he hears "My name is Peeta Mellark. I come from District 12. I was in the Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen saved me". It sounds like the words are being repeated through clenched teeth. Haymitch knows that means Peeta is struggling to hold on to reality.

He gently pushes open the door and sees Peeta curled up on the bed, his hands over his ears. He repeats again, "My name is Peeta Mellark, I come from District 12, I was in the Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen saved me". Haymitch wonders how good news could have brought on this relapse. Is it the fact that Katniss is not here? It is Peeta's first night alone again after all. Is it that the news of Katniss' pregnancy is overwhelming him? Even good news can be overwhelming if you have a tentative grip on reality, no thanks to the Capitol. Maybe it is the alcohol. Haymitch can't be sure, but he quietly walks across the room to sit on the bed beside Peeta. He sits for a long time, not touching Peeta, not talking to him either, just acting as a reassuring presence until Peeta can calm himself down. Finally, Peeta is quiet and Haymitch begins to ask him the questions that matter.

Your name is Peeta Mellark…real or not real?"

"Real"

"You come from District 12…real or not real?"

"Real"

You survived the 74th and 75th Hunger Games…real or not real?"

"Real"

"Katniss Everdeen saved you…"

She is not here. He is alone. Peeta can't tell if his memories of Katniss are real or not real.

"…real or not real?"

No answer. Exasperated, Haymitch picks up the locket from the dresser and puts it in front of Peeta's face. Maybe a physical reminder will help to bring him back.

"Katniss Everdeen saved you…real or not real?"

Peeta sees the locket. He remembers giving it to her. Haymitch opens it and he sees his picture inside. .

"Katniss Everdeen loves you…real or not real?" he says, handing Peeta the locket. Peeta turns it over in his hand.

"Real" Peeta says at last.

Haymitch decides to stay in the room with Peeta until he falls asleep. So far this whole pregnancy thing is not off to a great start.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Capitol Mutt

The weekend has passed so quickly in Annie's home. Nausea is still affecting Katniss and Annie makes sure that she eats small amounts, and often, to keep these bouts at bay. So far, it seems to be working. Finn has been a delight and he reminds Katniss so much of Finnick. He has a cheeky side and isn't shy at all. She remembers Haymitch calling Finnick a peacock and can see that little Finn will have both Finnick's charm as well as his good looks.

This gets Katniss thinking about Peeta. She hopes their baby looks like him. She hopes they have his calm and reassuring nature, quiet yet strong. This makes Katniss miss him even more and she places her hand over her stomach. Katniss wonders how long it will be before she feels the baby move? Annie explains what she thinks Katniss needs to know for now. She tells her that the nausea should wear off in another six to twelve weeks, maybe sooner, and that Katniss will probably experience the first movements of the baby as a little flutter in her stomach. That won't be for a few weeks yet. Then, as the baby grows, it's movements will become stronger and Annie tells Katniss that if Peeta puts his hand over her stomach, he will be able to feel the baby move, too. He will like that, Katniss thinks. A funny thought comes into her head about a bun in the oven and she starts to laugh. Pregnancy will not be such a hard thing for Peeta to understand after all.

Annie tells Katniss that she will need to have her mother, or another woman she trusts, to look after her when it is time for the baby to be born. This is because giving birth is an exhilarating, but painful experience that may last several hours, and Katniss will probably cry out. Having someone there to hold her hand and comfort her, even give her morphling if she needs it, will be a big help. Katniss can't imagine anyone but Peeta doing this for her. Annie suggests that Peeta can be close by, even in the room, but only another woman will really be able to help her with the birth. She says when Finn was born, if Finnick had been there, he probably would have passed out because he could not stand to see her in pain. Katniss thinks Peeta might be the same.

Annie goes on to tell Katniss that her breasts will become larger and that when the baby is born they will produce milk to feed it. Strangely, Katniss had already noticed her breasts becoming fuller and wondered if Peeta had noticed, too. If he had, he hadn't mentioned it to her yet. Katniss starts to wonder how she didn't know these things already and guessed it was probably because she spent too much time in the woods, avoiding their home where her mother carried out her healing duties. That usually involved things that Katniss did not want to know about. She wondered if Prim had ever seen a baby being born. Mostly it was people who were hurt in some way that their mother treated and Katniss starts to wish her mother was here to reassure her now.

A knock at the door interrupts them and Annie gets up to see who is there. Katniss' mother appears in the doorway and Katniss immediately runs into her mother's arms. They had not seen each other since her return to District 12 and her mother eventually holds Katniss out to have a look at her.

"Katniss. You look tired. How have you been?"

"I'm pregnant!" she blurts out.

"I know" says her mother. "Annie told me. She called me at the local hospital to tell me you were here and I just had to come and see you".

Katniss thinks her mother looks tired, too, and wonders how she is coming to terms with Prim's death. Right now she doesn't want to bring that up, though, as they are finally sharing some happy news. Katniss had not been close to her mother since her father's death. The grief had been overwhelming for her mother and Katniss had been left trying to pick up the pieces for her little sister Prim. She had lost someone, too, and now it had happened again. The gulf between them was wider than ever, but Katniss remembers how her mother stayed with her all through her hospitalisation after the overthrow of the Capitol, how she tended to her wounds and refused to leave her, even to attend Prim's funeral. Katniss found it hard to be grateful most of the time, but she was thankful to her mother for that. Katniss' relationship with Peeta had taken some of the sadness out of the fact that her mother had not returned to District 12. Maybe she will visit more often now.

Annie sits them both down at the table and they talk about the pregnancy, what to expect and then about Peeta. Katniss' mother had been surprised to hear that Katniss and Peeta had become so close, so quickly again. She is concerned about the possibility of Peeta having flashbacks and whether he could still hurt her. Katniss reassures her that Peeta has come a long way since the dark days of his hijacking and that she doesn't know where she would be without him. "He is my rock" she tells her mother, convincing her that all is well back in District 12.

After a couple of hours, Katniss' mother tells her she needs to go back to the hospital as they are very busy at the moment. There was a disturbance in the District last night and, when Katniss asks her what the disturbance was about, her mother says some Capitol rebels had tried to blow up ships in the Port to disrupt trade with the Capitol. They are not happy with the new regime and will do whatever it takes to return the old leadership in Panem. This was the first Katniss had heard about the Capitol rebels although she knew there was some lawlessness in the Districts. So far it had not affected District 12 and she hoped it stayed that way.

This had made her think about Gale. It was his job now to keep the peace and she wondered what things were like in District 2. That was even closer to the Capitol, and probably the rebel strongholds, which meant that Gale was still in danger. While she and Peeta were celebrating their new life in the safety of District 12, Gale was still risking his life helping to keep people safe. Too bad he hadn't been able to keep Prim safe. Katniss feels the bitterness rising in her chest and pushes it down quickly as she does not want anything to spoil her happiness now. She thinks about calling Peeta and telling him about her mother's visit.

Unexpectedly, there is another knock on the door. Annie tells Katniss she is not expecting anyone else to visit today and opens the door to find two peacekeepers standing there. One of them asks her name.

"Annie Cresta" she says.

"Is Katniss Everdeen staying with you ma'am?" they ask.

Katniss doesn't move. Why would peacekeepers be looking for her here? It doesn't make any sense.

"What do you want?" says Katniss challenging them without hesitation.

"We need you to come to the Capitol. Plutarch Heavensbee has requested a meeting with you".

"Why would Plutarch want to see me?" Katniss asks, sounding surprised.

"We are just here on orders from the Capitol. We need you to come with us"

"And if I refuse?" says Katniss.

"We do not want to have to use force, Ma'am. Please come with us and everything will be explained when we get there".

Katniss remembers her unborn child and her protective instincts come to the fore. She does not want to put her child at risk, so she reluctantly agrees to go with them. Katniss asks Annie to let Haymitch know what is happening, but warns her not to tell Peeta, at least not until Katniss knows why Plutarch wants to see her. Her biggest concern is that Peeta is expecting her back tomorrow and the delay could have dire consequences for both of them.

The hovercraft that brings her to the Capitol involves a two hour flight. It has been uncomfortable and Katniss can feel the nausea rising in her stomach again. When she alights, Katniss gulps in the fresh air and prepares to give Plutarch a piece of her mind. She has done her part for the Rebellion and doesn't want any more to do with establishing the New Panem.

After being led into the Presidential Palace, she sees Plutarch sitting behind his desk looking smug as usual. He doesn't get up.

"What is this about, Plutarch?" she says.

"Nice to see you too, Katniss" is his reply. Fortunately, he doesn't waste any time getting down to business. "We have a little problem and we think you might be able to help".

"I have done my bit for the Rebellion" she tells him "now I just want to be left alone!".

"I am sorry to say it is not possible for us to keep you out of this. The Districts are becoming uncontrollable since Snow has been overthrown and we need the face of the Rebellion to help us restore order in the Districts".

"I am no longer the Mockingay, Plutarch. I am not anyone except Katniss Everdeen, who comes from District 12, and that's the way I want to keep it".

"Unfortunately, you don't really have a choice. You were let off pretty lightly after you killed Coin and you owe us, Katniss".

Katniss can't believe what she is hearing. She owes them?! She had given them everything, and nearly lost her own life, as well as losing her sister. Somehow she owes them?

"I have done all I can to support the Rebellion. What happens now is not my problem" she says.

"Did you know the Capitol rebels are planning an attack on 12?" he says. "They plan to find and kill you Mockingjay".

Katniss starts to feel faint. She immediately thinks of Peeta. For now, she is safe in the Capitol, but what about him?

Plutarch goes on. "We should be able to put a stop to their plan, but we need your help".

Katniss knows she will need to do what Plutarch is asking. There are three lives at risk now, including her and Peeta's unborn child.

"What do you need me to do for you?" Katniss says.

"Propos!" says Plutarch grinning at her.

Katniss hates Propos. She hates Plutarch, and she hates the Capitol right now, too. How could they make her do this again? She is so afraid Peeta will think she has become what she once called him…a Capitol Mutt.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Propos

Annie tries to call Haymitch. There is no dial tone. What is going on? She tries Peeta's number, but all the lines are down. A flickering newscast appears on her screen.

"Citizens of Panem. Communications throughout all 12 Districts are currently down. This will be the only Broadcast until they can be restored".

Haymitch has seen the Broadcast, too. He thinks this is why they have not heard from Katniss yet. That's reassuring and he needs to let Peeta know as soon as possible. Peeta seems to have recovered from his flashback the other night and had wondered what Haymitch was doing sleeping on the floor next to his bed. Haymitch's excuse was that he stumbled in during the night while he was drunk.

The bakery is full of customers and so Haymitch waits for the last of them to leave before telling Peeta.

"Communications have broken down in the Capitol". Haymitch thinks the sooner Peeta knows not to expect a call from Katniss, the better.

Peeta, obviously concerned, asks Haymitch how he knows this.

"There was a short newscast just to let the Districts know".

Peeta doesn't like the sound of this. Katniss is in District 4 and now he can't contact her. At least she is far enough away from the Capitol to reassure him that she is safe, although he can't understand why he would think that Katniss might not be safe. Probably his protective instincts coming to the fore after the news she has given him about the baby. Thankfully, she will be back tomorrow and he will finally be able to hold her close again.

"Did they say when they might be able to restore communications?" Peeta asks.

"No, it was just to let people know that they were having difficulties, but I thought you should know, especially if you are expecting a call from Katniss".

"Thanks, Haymitch. Hopefully they will get them back up tonight" is all Peeta says.

Haymitch is not going to take any chances on Peeta having another relapse in the circumstances so he plans to call in on him tonight in case his flashbacks return. If need be, he will stay all night like he did the last time.

They have put Katniss in a room in the Presidential Palace while they create the idea for a new Propo. Nausea sweeps over her again and she promptly grabs a paperbasket which is next to her bed and throws up in it. They have organised room service for her, as they do not want her wandering around the Presidential Palace the way she did the last time and Plutarch tells her it is also for her own security. They need to know where she is at all times. According to him, there is a bounty on her head and it probably isn't just the Capitol rebels who might want her dead. Supporters of Alma Coin had not forgiven her for her brutal actions that day and, when she had left the Capitol, it was under nightfall and in secret. Plutarch, the ultimate Gamemaker, had organized everything and for that, at least, she could be grateful. Since returning to District 12 she has put the Capitol out of her mind and focused first of all on just staying alive and then on Peeta. Now she had something else to focus on, the most precious thing of all, their baby.

There is a knock on the door and a peacekeeper stands there waiting to be invited in. Katniss does not respond so he steps through and tells her that Plutarch wants to see her. She can't help but think of Gale and how he had stood at this very door, inviting her to a meeting with Alma Coin. These meetings never went well, simply because there was never anything good that came out of them. Katniss picks up the paperbasket and asks the Peacekeeper to empty it for her on the way out. She is still showing contempt for the Capitol.

Plutarch is sitting in the Oval Office with Paylor, Beetee and three other people she does not recognize, all in uniform.

"It's not good news, Katniss, I'm afraid" says Plutarch.

It never is, thinks Katniss, and suddenly her thoughts turn to Peeta and a small cry escapes her lips. Please, don't let anything have happened to Peeta, thinks Katniss. Paylor can see the fear in her eyes and joins the conversation.

"It's OK, Katniss. This has nothing to do with Peeta".

How did Paylor know her response involved Peeta? No one, not even Haymitch, knew how close they had become since his return to District 12. But then, the alcohol had probably dulled his brain. Had they been watching her? Katniss could not forget all the cameras that were in place prior to the Rebellion, but she just assumed most had been inactivated under the new regime. After all, this was the New Panem and people were free to do as they pleased, within the rule of law of course. Katniss decides she will be more cautious in her reactions from now on.

Plutarch interjects. "There has been a rebel attack on the Communicatiions Centre in District 3 and all communications are down in the Districts. This is their most serious attack so far on the new administration and the Capitol is now in lockdown. We can still go ahead with making the Propo, and will broadcast it as soon as possible".

Oh no! Katniss did not want Peeta to see another Propo of the Mockingjay without any warning. His hold on reality is better now, but it could still be tentative at times, and if he doesn't know where she is or why she is doing this, it might just push him over the edge. She hopes Haymitch is keeping an eye on Peeta for her and then Katniss realizes there is a good chance Annie has not been able to contact Haymitch either.

Paylor says "We need to keep you secure Katniss, for your own safety, so we will post guards outside your door day and night. We already have security in place in District 12, but it is low key as we don't want to alarm the people in the District. Peeta will be safe for now".

For now? What did that mean? Katniss needed to get back to District 12, so the sooner they got communications back and these Propos done, the better.

There is a new styling team to prepare her this time. She doesn't engage in conversation, even when they struggle to get her into her new Mockingjay costume. She insisted they allow her to bathe alone so they could not see her swelling abdomen and she had put the undergarments on before they returned to dress her. The costume design was the same as the one she had worn on that last fateful day when she had killed Alma Coin, but in a beautiful rustic red. Was this Cinna's choice, too? She imagined it was. He always knew how to make her look beautiful. So far they had not given her any weapons, but she was sure they would need them for the Propo. This could be interesting, Katniss thinks.

Guards accompany her to the Studio located in the Palace and set her in front of a blank screen. They would add the images in later. This time, Katniss has nothing she wants to say, no inspiration and no fire. She wonders how Plutarch will get around this and he soon appears with a set of cards that he wants her to memorize. She looks at them.

"Citizens of Panem, this is the Mockingjay. What I fought for, and what many people died for, has now come to fruition in the New Panem. I need you to listen. This new Panem is for you and for me, for our children". Katniss' heart skips a beat when she reads this part. Her child, Peeta's child, will be a citizen of the New Panem. She needs to get this right. "In free elections, the majority of you voted for the current leadership. It is necessary now to support them to ensure Panem can be secure. Capitol rebels are attempting to threaten our new found security and we must resist them. I ask you to join the Mockingjay in resisting the rebels!". Katniss gives the best performance she can under the circumstances and Plutarch does not complain. He doesn't have much choice really and, sadly, neither does she.

Katniss cannot believe how life seems to come full circle. First, she had led a rebellion and now she was encouraging people to resist one. The most ironic part of all was that she was still a piece in the games of the Capitol and they had managed to separate her and Peeta again.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Guard

Gale has heard about the threat on the Mockingjay and knows that Katniss has been transferred to the Capitol. He insists on an immediate transfer and Paylor accedes to his request. He doesn't know how Katniss will feel about it, but keeping her safe is still his main priority, whether she likes it or not.

Arriving at the Presidential Palace he seeks Paylor out and asks her about Katniss.

"We have her secured here. She is fine. We have also put extra peacekeepers in place in District 12 for Peeta's safety and as a means of tracking the rebels down" says Paylor.

Why would Peeta need protection, Gale wonders. He knows Peeta is back in District 12, but the threat is to Katniss, not to Peeta. Unless the Capitol Rebels make an attempt to use him again as a weapon. Gale doesn't know Peeta's state of mind at the minute and is unsure how safe Katniss is with Peeta around. He doesn't like the idea of them living side by side in the Victor's Village, never mind in the same District. He asks Paylor if he can be part of the guard on Katniss. Paylor doesn't think this is a good idea due to Katniss' recent instability and she knows Katniss blames Gale for what happened to Prim.

"I need to see her" he says.

"We will put you on an overnight watch for now. That way she will not even know you are there. We don't want to antagonize her Gale. We need her for the Propos" says Paylor.

Gale realizes he will have to be satisfied with the night watch for now and prepares to take the 12MN to 6am shift tonight. Katniss is in the same room that he had collected her from the last time she was here. He hadn't gotten over that day yet, the way she dismissed him from her presence with a simple "goodbye". He hadn't gotten over the loss of her friendship either. Maybe, if he got the chance, he could convince her that he never meant for Prim to die. The message she had tried to convey when she told him "it is always personal" was still ringing in his ears.

Gale heads to Katniss's room at midnight for the change of shift. The Peacekeeper on duty tells him that she handed him a paperbasket of vomit the day before and that Gale should expect a frosty reception. Katniss is asleep now, so that shouldn't be a problem. He sits outside her room in the early hours of the morning wishing he could speak to her, but he knows better than to disturb her sleep. Suddenly, he hears whimpering from inside the room. Katniss is calling for Prim. He opens the door slightly and sees her clawing at her arms and body. "Prim! Prim!" she shouts. Gale goes into the room. She continues to claw at herself and Gale eventually feels the need to put a stop to her terror, so he gently touches her arm.

"Peeta?" she says as she begins to relax. Katniss turns over, trying to wake up, and looks for Peeta. She knows he is here, she felt him beside her.

"It's me, Katniss" says Gale.

Katniss sits bolt upright and suddenly realizes where she is. Gale? What is he doing here?

"Katniss…" Gale begins.

"What are you doing here?" she asks unable to keep the anger out of her voice.

"I heard you whimpering and calling Prim's name. You were clawing at yourself in your sleep. I just wanted to make sure you were OK".

"I'm fine!" says Katniss. She is still trying to work out why Gale is here at the Presidential Palace, never mind why he is in her room.

"I heard about the threat on the Mockingjay and I asked to be stationed here as part of your guard".

"Well, I don't want you as part of my guard. In fact I don't want any guards" she says.

Gale realizes that Katniss hasn't changed that much since the Rebellion.

"Katniss, you need protection. The Capitol Rebels are mounting attacks everywhere. I asked to be transferred here so that I could do what I always wanted to do…protect you" says Gale.

You didn't protect my sister, thinks Katniss bitterly. Deep down she knows she cannot keep blaming Gale for Prim's death, but she is not ready to forgive him yet. The wound is still too deep and, besides that, Peeta is the one who protects her now.

"I don't want your protection, Gale. I just want to get back to District 12".

"The guard I relieved at mignight told me you had been sick yesterday, Katniss. Are you OK?"

"I'm pregnant!" Katniss could not believe she had come out with it, just like that.

Gale's face registered shock and dismay. How could Katniss be pregnant?

"it's Peeta's" she says.

Katniss and Peeta are having a baby? Gale knew that Katniss loved Peeta, but Peeta had been so damaged by his hijacking that Gale thought there was no chance Katniss would ever look at him the same way or let him near her again. He was wrong.

Gale pipes up "I don't know what to say. I mean I knew that Peter had gone back to 12 after you left, but…"

"But what, Gale? You thought that Peeta was so damaged by his hijacking I would give up on him? That the Capitol turning him into a weapon meant that I would never be able to trust him again?"

Gale remembered saying to Peeta that Katniss would end up with the person that she could not survive without. Now he knew, for Katniss, that person was Peeta.

"Katniss, we both needed you to choose. There are thousand different ways this could have turned out, but I want what is best for you. If that is Peeta, then I am happy for you both".

Katniss begins to feel tears well up in her eyes. She doesn't want understanding from Gale, she wants to stay mad at him, forever. But what she wants more than anything right now is to have Peeta sitting on the bed beside her, Peeta putting his arms around her and Peeta asking her again "You love me. Real or not real?" She knows how she would answer, how she will always answer.

"Gale I need to get back to District 12. I am worried about Peeta. He is expecting me back today and if communications are still down he won't know where I am. Plutarch brought me here to shoot more Propos and I have no way of telling him that I am not her by choice".

Gale gets the sense that Peeta's grasp on reality is still quite fragile and that without Katniss there to reassure him, he could slip back into thinking she is a threat. That would be a risk to Katniss as well.

"I will see what I can do to get word to Peeta that you have been brought to the Capitol at Plutarch's request. We might be able to bring him here if I can get Paylor to agree. That way you will both be safe".

Katniss wants to hug Gale, but knows she can't. She just thanks him and asks him not to tell anyone about the pregnancy.

Gale leaves Katniss to go and sit outside her room again. He will need to talk to Paylor after his shift about getting Peeta back to the Capitol.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Together

Peeta has come home and there is still no further word from Katniss. He knows the communication systems are still down and is trying not to worry, but he and Katniss haven't been apart this long since his return to District 12. It is hard not to have her there to greet him, to talk about the day, to hold her and know that everything is OK. He decides to call over and see Haymitch.

Haymitch is sitting at his table with a bottle in front of him. Peeta is not sure how much Haymitch has drunk, but he looks lucid enough.

"Any word?" he says.

"No. Not so far". A man of many words thinks Peeta.

"The last train comes in at midnight. I am going to wait at the station and see if Katniss will be on the train tonight. She said she would be home today".

"Do you want me to come with you?" Haymitch asks.

"No, that's fine. I just want to be there when she gets back" Peeta says.

He heads back out to prepare the house for Katniss' arrival. She will be tired when she gets home and Peeta just wants her to rest for now.

At 11pm Peeta heads off to the station, still having no further word from Katniss. He hopes she is on the last train. Taking a seat on the platform he thinks back to the day she gave him the news about the baby. How excited she sounded and maybe a little bit scared. That was OK, Peeta decided. They were going to do this together and Katniss knew she could count on him. He hoped she was feeling a little bit better by now, but neither of them knew anything about babies so it would be a rollercoaster ride for the both of them.

At midnight, Peeta watches the train pull into the station. There is no sign of Katniss. He waits until everyone gets off, a total of three people, but none of them are Katniss. Where is she? Peeta knows this is the last train tonight so there is nothing left for him to do, but head back to the house. He has left lights on and as he walks in he can see Haymitch sitting at the kitchen table. He wasn't expecting Haymitch to be here. As he walks into the kitchen it takes him a moment to comprehend who else is sitting at the table with Haymitch. Gale.

Gale gets up and takes Peeta's hand, shaking it and congratulating him. Peeta wonders what Gale is congratulating him for. He has had no contact with Gale since that fateful day when the Capitol was overthrown. Peeta clears his throat.

"Can I get you something? Tea?" he asks.

"No, that's fine" says Gale. "Peeta, I've come up from the Capitol to tell you about Katniss and to bring you back with me".

Peeta can't keep the panic out of his voice.

"What about Katniss?" he demands to know.

"Plutarch has called her back to the Capitol for a number of reasons which will be explained to you when we get there. She is fine, we have her in a secure setting and she very much wants you to be with her right now".

"I don't understand. Why has Plutarch called her back?" Peeta knew that Katniss wanted to be as far away from the Captiol as possible, so did he.

"I can't explain it now, but you will understand when we get there".

Peeta didn't need to asked again. If Katniss is in the Capitol then that is where he wants to be, too. He gathers some things, for Katniss as well, and gives Haymitch a big hug before heading to the hovercraft with Gale. He wonders if Gale has spoken with Katniss and finds it hard to believe she would let him anywhere near her. Something must be terribly wrong for Gale to have come as far as District 12 to get him, but Gale had told him Katniss was fine and, unlike Katniss, Peeta still trusted Gale.

It takes several hours to reach the Capitol and the hovercraft lands in the grounds of the Presidential Palace, a place Peeta had hoped never to see again. It looks the same, but the interior is not as plush and this is in line with the new thinking in the Capitol. It is the early hours of the morning when they arrive and Gale brings Peeta straight to Katniss' room. There is a guard on the door, which Peeta thinks is strange, but he is more concerned with seeing Katniss right now. She is fast asleep in the bed and it only takes Peeta a minute to slip in beside her. Katniss doesn't stir. Peeta is exhausted, too, so he fallsl asleep almost immediately with his arms wrapped tightly around her.

As light creeps into the room, Katniss begins to waken. She feels very peaceful and then suddenly she realizes somebody's arms are around her. Startled, she turns to see Peeta lying beside her. She can't keep the tears from her eyes. Gale has kept his promise. She faces Peeta and watches him sleeping. They must have brought him here in the middle of the night and somehow he had not disturbed her while she slept. She is so grateful. She doesn't care now where she is, as long as she is with him.

Moving closer to him she kisses him gently on the lips. Her kisses become more passionate as Peeta begins to respond. Putting his arms around her, he draws her into an embrace which they hold for a long time just looking into eachother's eyes. Without a word, Peeta moves his hand down to Katniss' slightly protruding belly. She holds her hand over his. Soon, he begins to kiss her again and Katniss is hungry for his touch. Together they satisfy their hunger, shutting out the Capitol, the Districts and the whole of Panem. This is their moment. Together.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: The Protector

Peeta wakes up first and quietly slips out of bed so as not to disturb Katniss. He wants to surprise her and asks the Peacekeeper at the door if they can arrange for some breakfast to be brought to the room. He knows Katniss likes some of the Capitol food and remembers how she devoured it when they had arrived here for the 74th Hunger Games.

A short time later, the Peacekeeper is back with a tray of hot food for them both to share. There is some meat, eggs, a lovely large chunk of cheese, tomatoes and mushrooms, too. All this is served with a side of thick bread and there are two steaming mugs of tea for them to drink as well. Peeta is starving and decides to wake Katniss up because he wants to make sure she eats something, too.

"Breakfast" he says as he gently rolls her onto her back to wake her up.

"Oh", Katniss says. "I wasn't expecting this!"

"I wanted to surprise you"

"Thank you, Peeta" says Katniss as she kisses him passionately on the lips.

"You're welcome" he says. "Now you need to eat up Katniss, you have two mouths to feed now"

Katniss doesn't know how to tell him she can't stand the sight of food right now, but as he has gone to the trouble, she is going to make an attempt to eat something. She takes a little of the meat and cheese with some of the lovely thick bread. She wonders what Peeta will think about the Capitol bread and she is sure it will not be as good as the bread he bakes.

Peeta tucks into the breakfast with gusto and is finished before Katniss. In fact, he notices Katniss has hardly eating anything at all.

"Don't you like it?" he asks.

Katniss promptly replies by grabbing the paperbasket next to her and throwing up. Peeta leans across and holds her hair back while she is sick. He doesn't know why she can't keep her food down so he asks her:

"Are you OK?"

"I'm fine. It's the baby. Annie told me it's normal in the early months of a pregnancy so I guess you can expect more of that!" she says.

Peeta frowns. He doesn't like the idea of Katniss not being able to keep her food down, she really needs her strength right now. He decides there is not much he can do it except get Annie's advice on how to help Katniss right now.

The two of them wash up after breakfast and get ready for the day. Katniss is not sure if Plutarch has any more propos planned for her yet, but Peeta needs to get an explanation of what is going on first. Gale appears at the door and tells them that Paylor wants them to come to a meeting so Peeta can be debriefed. As they walk out the door to meet with Paylor, Katniss mouths the word "thank you" to Gale as she passes him by. For the first time, in a long time, Gale begins to feel she might be letting him back into her life.

Paylor asks them to sit down and starts explaining to Peeta why Katniss has been brought to the Capitol. She tells him that Capitol rebels are on the march and that there has been a threat made against her life. Peeta is shellshocked. Someone is making threats against Katniss. Why? Paylor explains to Peeta:

"Katniss was the face of the Rebellion. She is a high profile target for these people and we need to keep her safe"

That's my job thinks Peeta. I am the one who keeps Katniss safe.

"Even before the communications network went down the other night we knew these people were getting serious and the only way we can stop them is to have the Districts on our side. Since the war they have lost their sense of purpose and unity. We need The Mockingjay to help us re unify the Districts again".

"But if Katniss is a already a high profile target then you are putting her in even greater danger by asking her to do these Propos" Peeta says.

"We plan to keep her safe, Peeta. You, too. I give you my word on that. But, if we don't unify the Districts it will be much harder to fight the rebels and defeating them is the only way to really keep Katniss safe".

Some of what she says makes sense, but he doesn't want Katniss to be the face of the Rebellion again, anymore than Katniss, herself, wants that.

"Does Katniss have any choice in the matter?" Peeta asks.

"We have already explained to Katniss that she was given a very generous reprieve by the new government of Panem after she killed Alma Coin. We have asked her, on the basis of this reprieve, to help us again now".

Peeta senses a veiled threat in what Paylor is saying to him. He doesn't like it.

"What is happening about the rebels who have specifically made threats against the Mockingjay" he asks.

"We are doing all we can to track these people down, Peeta. For now both of you are safe in the Capitol and we would like to keep you here as long as possible. We will start working on the rest of the Propos today".

For Peeta, Katniss safety is paramount, especially now. He does not know how long they can go without telling Paylor about Katniss pregnancy, but they will wait while they see if the Propos have any effect on the Districts. If they can unify people again, there's less chance of a threat on the Mockingjay. Peeta will try to reassure Katniss that he is here with her and he is not going to let anyone do anything to harm her. Including the new government of Panem.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Safety

Katniss and Peeta have been in the Capitol for ten weeks now. The Propos have started to air and people seem to be responding. The Mockingjay has reminded them who the real enemy is and what is at stake. They have not been allowed to venture out much, but they have been allowed to have visitors. Annie was the first one to come and see them. She brought Finn and told them, together, how happy she was about their news. Katniss belly is much more prominent now as she is four months along in her pregnancy. Her nausea had finally eased and she is starting to eat and put on weight again. Eventually, they had no choice but to inform the Capitol of her pregnancy. That was about two weeks ago. They couldn't hide the fact that Katniss wasn't able to fit into her Mockingjay outfit anymore. She had hidden it as long as she could and had no regrets now that the news was out.

Gale had congratulated them both again and thought that Katniss was glowing. He could see Peeta was good for her and that his quiet strength and rationality was a perfect foil for Katniss' feisty nature and impulsivity. They would make a great couple and wonderful parents. He hoped they could all become friends again. It had been agreed that when Peeta and Katniss returned to District 12, Gale would accompany them and also head the Peacekeeping Unit there. It was what he wanted, to be close to Katniss and Peeta in case of any further threats to her life. If he couldn't imagine losing her, how must Peeta feel?

Effie had been to visit as well. She was over the moon with the news and, when she arrived, in typical Effie style, just said "Well, well, well! You two are full of surprises, aren't you?" She had twirled Katniss around and decided that pregnancy and the extra weight suited her. Then she promptly organized some pampering for her which involved gentle massage, manicures, pedicures, and a long overdue cut and styling of her hair. It had been just what Katniss needed. Effie always managed to lift her spirits somehow. She had her own ideas about how things should be and usually managed to carry people along with her, never getting much thanks in return. Katniss couldn't help thinking about her locket and how Effie has organized for them all to have something in gold in the run up to the Quarter Quell. She had no idea that Peeta and Effie had been plotting together to give her that locket. It still brought tears to her eyes when she thought about that day on the beach, and how Peeta had told her nobody needed him. Where would she be without him, Katniss thought.

Haymitch had been minding their homes in the District and was due in the Capitol today. He was going to meet them for the last couple of days before their return to District 12 so they could all debrief about Katniss' safety. Haymitch had not seen Katniss since she left to visit Annie and was really looking forward to seeing her. He might actually look in on Effie while he was here as well. Maybe try and get the whole team back together for a day.

When Haymitch arrives he looks for Gale. The two of them meet in a room off the Oval Office and Gale knows what Haymitch is here to talk about. When they had last met in Peeta's house, Haymitch had told Gale about Peeta's flashback. He said he wasn't sure what brought it on, but it was probably the fact that it was the first time Peeta and Katniss had been apart since his return to District 12. Haymitch tells Gale there is a chance, with the stresses of the pregnancy and impending birth, that Peeta might begin to suffer more flashbacks. From what Gale had seen so far, Peeta was doing very well and he reassured Haymitch that it was probably a one off with the news of Katniss pregnancy, too.

Nevertheless, they devise a plan they will share with Katniss to help keep her safe if Peeta ever has a flashback which she feels he is not able to control. This would mean Katniss being able to alert them at any time, day or night. Haymitch decides that, during the day, the best way is if Katniss was able to lower the blinds in any of the front rooms of the house which faced his own. If Haymitch sees a blind drawn for any reason, he will immediately go across and check on Katniss to make sure she is OK. He hopes Katniss will have the opportunity to draw at least one blind as a sign that she needs help. Gale says he will ensure a regular watch of Peacekeepers, including himself, to pass by the house and he will also give Katniss an emergency device which she could use to alert the District barracks if anything goes wrong. Gale will also tell Katniss she needs to keep the device on her at all times and keep it somewhere close by during the night. It needs to be done. It is not Peeta's fault that he suffered the hijacking. Haymitch and Gale have both their best interests at heart. Peeta would be devastated if anything happened to Katniss, especially by his hand.

The meeting was arranged for the debriefing with Katniss and Peeta. They would return to their old homes in District 12 with extra security. Gale would travel with them and remain in District 12 for the time being and Haymitch would be the first port of call in an emergency. It was time for Peeta and Katniss to go home to District 12.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Homecoming

The day of their homecoming was such a relief. Katniss had missed their home and Prim's garden, but most of all she had missed their privacy. She was beginning to "nest" and wanted to get things ready for the arrival of their new baby. Peeta just wanted to have Katniss to himself again so he could enjoy her for these last few months before their lives were changed forever. He had never seen her happier and that was all he had ever wanted. The fact that she was happy with him made everything worthwhile.

Gale and Haymitch had travelled back with them and there was a promise from Effie to come and see them after the baby was born. Annie was on standby for any concerns with regard to the pregnancy and Katniss' mother planned to be there for the birth.

Peeta picks Katniss up to carry her over the threshold when they arrive. Katniss loves him more than ever and holds him tight thinking that maybe the two of them will get married after all. She would like that.

"Are you going back to the bakery today?" she asks Peeta.

"No" he says. "I just want to two of us to spend some time alone for the next couple of days. You need time to relax and we need to start thinking about how we are going to prepare for the arrival of the baby".

Katniss knows this is true. She doesn't have anything for the baby yet and not being very domesticated, doesn't quite know where to start. There will be plenty of time for that though. In the meantime, Peeta leads Katniss up the stairs and takes her into their bedroom. He takes her hair out of it's braid and gently untangles it. He loves the way it is full and falls around her shoulders. She sees him looking at her in a way that makes her knees go weak. Peeta takes her in his arms and kisses her, holding her close and feeling her pregnant belly press against him. Her figure is full now and he delights in the feel of her womanliness. She is no longer the scrawny, starved little girl he threw the bread to all those years ago.

Two months later all is well in District 12. Katniss and Peeta have prepared a place for the baby in their room with a cradle and blankets, It will be winter when the baby is born so they need plenty of warm coverings. They have some baby clothes that people have given them which could be either for a boy or a girl. Katniss wants a beautiful little boy, like Peeta, and he wants a gorgeous little girl who will be just like her mother. Katniss has shared with him the analogy about the bun in the oven and Peeta thinks she might be onto something. This is their little bun, only Katniss is the baker this time and will produce something much more incredible than he ever could.

Katniss is lying in the bed and has been able to feel the baby move for about a month now. It began with a gentle flutter and then the movements became stronger as the baby grew bigger. She turns to Peeta.

"Peeta" she says waking him from his sleep.

He turns over and she takes his hand and places it on her stomach in the spot where she has just felt the baby move. Peeta feels a slight movement under his hand and looks at Katniss.

"The baby's moving" she says. "Can you feel it?"

Peeta keeps his hand in place and moves closer to Katniss. He can feel it. This little person they have both created is taking on a life of its own.

"I love you, Katniss" he says, kissing her on the lips.

"I love you, too" she replies.

Katniss wants to keep him there, but he has some orders waiting at the bakery and has to leave. Peeta tells her he will be home at lunchtime and that he will see her then. He still wants to make sure she is eating properly and he can't stand to be away from her for the whole day anymore. He doesn't want to lose sight of her for a minute.

Katniss decides to go out and visit Prim's grave. It is the end of the summer and the days are long and beautiful. The flowers on the grave are in full bloom and she has always been so grateful to Peeta for doing this for her and Prim. Katniss sits down beside the grave and starts to sing.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow

A bed of grass, a soft green pillow

Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes

And when again they open, the sun will rise.

Here it's safe, here it's warm

Here the daisies guard you from every harm

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true

Here is the place where I love you"

She knows she will sing this song to her own child now. It will always remind her of Prim. Suddenly Katniss becomes aware of a movement by the trees. She doesn't have her hunting gear with her, she only ever takes that to the woods. Katniss cautiously lowers herself as best she can to the ground and looks to see who might be coming, her hunting instincts coming to the fore. As she watches she sees Gale approaching and is not sure if she really wants him here. But Gale is a hunter, too, and he has noticed her already.

"Katniss" he says.

"Gale" comes her reply.

"Is this where Prim is buried?" he asks.

"Yes".

"It's beautiful" he says.

"I know. Peeta created the garden for me and Prim. I come here everyday".

She can see tears begin to form in Gale's eyes. She has never seen Gale cry before.

"Gale…" she starts.

"Katniss, I am so sorry about Prim. I never intended for anything to happen to her. I would have given my life for her, you know that".

Katniss knows that's true. She finally decides to offer Gale some comfort. "I believe you, Gale. I know you did not mean for Prim to die. You looked after her when I volunteered for the first Hunger Games and I don't know what I would have done without you"

Now she is beginning to cry, too. Katniss gets up and puts her arms around Gale. She knows he is in pain. He had said that to her once before, that she kissed him because she knew he was in pain. Then he told her not to worry, that it would pass. Gale knows this will pass, too. This moment with Katniss. But it is a moment the two of them need to have. He needs to feel Katniss' arms around him, her love and forgiveness. She needs to let go of her anger and the blame she has placed on Gale. She has missed him terribly. They stand there and embrace until Katniss remembers the time. Peeta should be home any minute with their lunch. She wants to be there for him when he arrives and hopes she hasn't missed him.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Hijack

When Katniss arrives at the house there is no sign of Peeta. She wonders if she should take a walk up to the bakery and see what he is doing, but knows he is busy, so she focuses on preparations for dinner. He still has not arrived when she is done, but she is tired and decides to go upstairs and lie down for a while. Talking to Gale has left her emotionally drained. Closing her eyes, she thinks about everything that has happened, that it has happened for a reason, and the reason was that her and Peeta were meant to be together. The fact they were having a child was her final assurance and a way for Peeta to know that she loved him and always would.

Waking late in the day, Katniss wonders if Peeta is home yet and goes downstairs to look for him. She sees no sign of him and thinks she might take a short walk to the bakery to see if she can find Peeta there. When Katniss arrives the bakery is closed. She can't understand it. Peeta always comes straight home. She decides to walk back to the house first before calling in to see Haymitch and see if he knows where Peeta might be.

Peeta struggles in the back of the vehicle. There are two men dressed as Peacekeepers holding him down. They have handcuffs on his hands and feet and have tied a gag around his mouth to stop him from calling out.

"Do you know who we are?" one of the men asks.

Of course Peeta can't answer him, so the man goes on.

"We are part of Alma Coin's force. Do you remember what happened to Alma Coin? Well, we are here to get your Mockingjay!"

Peeta kicks out and tries to yell. One of them backhands him across the face and Peeta falls back.

"We've decided, since the Capitol has already turned you into a weapon to kill the Mockingjay, we will use you as _our_ weapon. She thought she was clever putting an arrow through Coin's heart, but she's not as clever as she thinks. If _you_ kill her, no one will ever know about Alma Coin's revenge".

Peeta is panicking now. They had used him before as a weapon to try and kill Katniss, he can't let that happen again. Without warning a needle is plunged into his arm. It is painful and Peeta already knows what it is…trackerjacker serum.

He starts to hallucinate within minutes, seeing images from the Games, of Katniss, things that don't make sense and frighten him. There are mutts. They are chasing him and he is trying to get away. His leg is hurt and he can't run fast enough. Suddenly an arrow is fired from the cover of the trees and he goes down on one knee. He sees Katniss come out of the trees and she aims at him again.

Katniss gets back to the house and begins to turn on the lights. She never draws the blinds before it gets dark in case she needs Haymitch. He made her promise, just as he has promised to be there in case he is needed.

As she moves into the kitchen she can hear a sound behind her and turns to see Peeta standing in the doorway. Something is wrong. He looks dishevelled and she thinks he might be hurt.

"Peeta! What happened?"she cries.

"You know what happened, you mutt! You shot me with an arrow in the woods".

Before she has a chance to react Peeta grabs her with one hand by the throat and pushes her up against the door.

"You think I don't know that you are a Capitol Mutt?!

Katniss has left the emergency device in the bedroom. She needs to try and get to the front of the house so she can draw a blind for Haymitch. She tries to push Peeta off her, but he is too strong.

"Peeta, the baby!" Katniss cries.

That seems to stop him for a moment as he looks down at her belly which is now very prominent. He seems to ignore what she has just said.

"Nice one, Katniss. I tried that one, too. There is no baby!" he shouts as she tries to reach for something behind her to hit him with. She has to loosen his grip somehow.

"Peeta" Katniss says with a strangled cry. "STOP!" and then she reaches behind and grabs the frypan from the stove. She doesn't want to hurt him, but she has to stop him, so she hits him hard on the back of his head to try and startle him.

Peeta staggers back and Katniss makes a run for the front of the house. She manages to pull one blind halfway down before he is on her again.

"Mutt" he growls as he brings her crashing to the floor. Fortunately, for Katniss, she lands on her side and she is doing her best to make sure he doesn't touch her stomach and hurt the baby.

He slaps her across the face and pulls her to her feet ripping her shirt.

Katniss tries to gather herself and begins to say "You're name is Peeta Mellark…"

She doesn't get to finish. He yanks her hair back to expose her throat. As his hand is reaching for her again she manages to say in a panicked voice:

"You're name is Peeta Mellark…real or not real?"

Katniss thinks he is hesitating and then suddenly feels herself smashed onto the table standing in the middle of the room. She has hurt her leg and now she is struggling to stay upright.

Katniss tries again. Her voice is shaking.

"You're name is Peeta Mellark….real or not real?"

She begins to see her words getting through. Peeta still has his hands on her, but has stopped moving.

"Real" Peeta slowly responds.

"You come from District 12…real or not real?"

"Real" he slowly answers again.

"You survived the 74th and 75th Hunger Games…real or not real?"

"Real" comes the reply.

"Katniss Everdeen saved you" Katniss says, choking back tears. "Real or not real?"

Peeta looks in her eyes, filled with tears, and brushes a tear away with his finger.

"Real" he says feeling like he is coming out of a trance. He notices how dishevelled Katniss looks. There is a big red mark on her face and blood on her lip. He can see marks on her throat as well and she can't stand up very well. Oh no! What has he done?!

"Katniss…" say Peeta, his eyes now filling with tears.

"It's alright, Peeta. You had a flashback, I think. I need to call Haymitch and get Gale over here, too. They will want to help".

Peeta is still trying to clear his mind as Katniss heads to Haymitch's to raise the alarm. Katniss realizes she has been very lucky this time.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Aftermath

Katniss limps to Haymitch's house and knocks on his door. When he opens the door he grabs Katniss to bring her inside. She is bloody and bruised. He looks across to the house and only sees one blind half drawn. Peeta must have blindsided her. He sits her down and Katniss says:

"Peeta had a flashback. He is OK now, but we need Gale to come down just to be sure". She is breathless and is labouring to speak. Haymitch gets a cold cloth and tells her to hold it to her face and lip. He can see some marks on her neck and there is a deep gash on her leg as well.

"Katniss, wait here. I am going across to check on Peeta and will phone Gale from there".

Haymitch rushes across to their house and finds Peeta slumped on the floor in the front room. Peeta can't look at him, and Haymitch sees he is very dishevelled as well. Katniss must have fought hard to escape.

"Peeta, I am going to phone Gale and tell him to come down. Katniss is hurt and it looks like you might be hurt, too. We need to get you both some medical attention".

Peeta seems to be in a daze, so Haymitch reaches for the phone and raises Gale in the barracks.

"Gale, there's been an incident at the house. Katniss is hurt and so is Peeta".

"I'm coming right over" says Gale.

Gale has his hands full already. There is a military vehicle missing and two of his Peacekeepers have absconded. What is going on?

Haymitch tells Peeta he needs to check on Katniss and asks him to wait for Gale to arrive. Gale is there within minutes and goes straight into the house.

"What happened, Peeta?" asks Gale.

"I don't know. I must have blacked out and when I came to, Katniss was standing in front of me all bloodied and bruised. I think it was me". There are tears in Peeta's eyes and he can't' believe this has happened again. What if he has hurt the baby?

"Peeta, I am going to secure you now just for your own safety, do you understand?" Gale says.

"Yes" faintly.

Gale secures Peeta's hands just as Haymitch is leading Katniss back into the house. Peeta looks up and Katniss doesn't hesitate. She goes straight to him and puts her arms around him.

"Peeta" she softly whispers. Please, stay with me…".

"Katniss, the baby" he says.

Gale interrupts. "We are going to take you both to the clinic to be checked out. Katniss you wiil probably need some stitches in your leg and we will get them to look at you, too, Peeta"

The doctor tells Katniss that she will need stitches, but otherwise he thinks there will just be some swelling and bruising to her cheek and neck. The baby is fine. She knows. She could feel it moving. Katniss is so grateful she was able to coax Peeta out of his hijacked stated. She doesn't know what would have happened otherwise. The doctor sets about stitching her leg.

Peeta is in a separate room. The medic has noticed some bruising on his arm with what looks like a needle puncture mark. Gale tells him he has no idea what might have caused that. Maybe Katniss jabbed him with something to force him to let her go. Other than that, Peeta has a lump on the back of his head where Katniss hit him and a welt across his face as well. He is told he is fine and is able to go.

Peeta tells Gale he doesn't want to be around Katniss tonight. He can't remember what brought on his flashback and he is afraid of hurting her again. Gale says that he will put him in a separate room in the house tonight and he, personally, will stand guard.

Peeta steps away from Katniss as they go back to the vehicle preparing for the drive home. Then he refuses to get in with her. Gale isn't sure if this is because he is afraid of hurting Katniss again or if he is still somehow in his hijacked state. Gale can see the pain in Katniss' eyes. She thinks that Peeta believes she is still a mutt and then Katniss starts to cry.

"Katniss. It's not you, it's me!" says Peeta not moving any closer to her. "I don't want to hurt you again. Please. Go. Gale can bring me down in another vehicle".

Katniss understands now that Peeta is ashamed. He is ashamed of hurting her and putting their baby at risk. She has already forgiven him, doesn't he know that? She decides it is best not to agitate him in his current state of mind, so she climbs in and says "I love you, Peeta" before being driven back to their home. Peeta follows in another vehicle and insists Gale brings him straight to the spare room and lock it from the outside. Gale does as Peeta asks, just to give him an opportunity to gather himself, and then checks on Katniss again. She is already lying on the bed holding Peeta's locket in her hand.

"Katniss" says Gale "it will be OK. I promise. We will get to the bottom of this, but I think we might need to bring Peeta back to the Capitol for a short time so they can assess him again. He may need to spend some time revising his memories, just so that we can make sure his real memories of you are the ones that are the strongest. They have a new treatment now, too, which might help. For your own sake, and the baby's, you probably need some time apart".

Katniss knows Gale is right, but she hates seeing Peeta like this and she just wants him to be OK.

"Can we talk about it in the morning, Gale?" Katniss asks. Gale knows he has been dismissed again.

Peeta has a restless night and so does Katniss. In the morning Gale makes the arrangements to bring Peeta back to the Capitol for a few days and then leaves him and Katniss to say their goodbyes.

Peeta hasn't come out of his room yet and Haymitch is on standby. He watches Katniss as she knocks on the door and asks Peeta if she can come in. She hopes it is nothing like it was in the hospital when Peeta returned from the Capitol the first time. He tells her to come in. He is sitting on the edge of the bed and looking a little the worse for wear. Katniss moves towards him, slowly, and Peeta watches her. She makes her way over to the bed and sits beside him.

"Katniss, I'm sorry" he says again.

"Peeta, I know that wasn't you, just like you know that wasn't me…whatever it was you saw or thought last night. We are going to get through this, I promise".

Peeta is no longer shackled and takes her hand in his. He wants so badly to kiss her, but her mouth is bruised and a little swollen. He lays back on the bed and draws her close. She faces into him and Peeta places his hand on her stomach. He feels their baby move and is flooded with relief. With tears in his eyes he turns and kisses the top of her head.

"You love me…real or not real?" says Katniss.

"Real" says Peeta.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Redemption

Peeta is expected to remain in the Capitol for about a month and is undergoing a new treatment being offered to hijack victims. Katniss is not able to have contact with him while he undergoes the therapy, she needs therapy of her own. That comes in the form of her mother and Annie who take it in turns to visit week and week about to keep an eye on her and make sure she recovers from Peeta's attack. They know it was not Peeta's fault, and Katniss would defend him to the death if anyone said otherwise.

Her belly is getting bigger and so she needs to rest more. Katniss decides it is OK to let other people look after her for a while and recovers quickly. The baby is becoming very active now and, even if she can't see or talk to Peeta, she knows she has a part of him with her. That is what is keeping her going.

In the Capitol, Peeta is being treated with the Revision method and also a new therapy. One of the first things the doctor had said to him was "It's not a lie if you believe it". In other words whatever Peeta was willing to believe would become his truth. Peeta needed to know he had a choice. He could choose to believe what he knew to be true about Katniss or he could choose to believe the lies the Capitol had implanted during his hijacking. He had been able to discern the difference for a while by the fact that the memories the Capitol implanted appeared different somehow. They were glossy, shiny. The trackerjacker serum had been the real trigger for his violent assault on Katniss. The hallucinations had caused him to almost lose complete control. It was impossible for him to differentiate between what was real and not real, the hallucinations had been so intense. Peeta found the therapy very helpful and, when it came to making choices about Katniss, he knew what choices he wanted to make.

While he was in the hospital it had been discovered that two Peacekeepers appointed by Alma Coin had hijacked a military vehicle and kidnapped Peeta, before injecting him with trackerjacker serum. They found the vehicle on the outskirts of District 11 and the syringe in the back. The disgruntled Peacekeepers had attempted to hijack Peeta in an effort to assassinate the Mockingjay as revenge for the death of President Alma Coin. What the hijackers didn't count on was the love between Katniss and Peeta, the one thing that had always helped them overcome the people that were trying to destroy them.

When Katniss heard about the trackerjacker serum she realized that Peeta had not had a flashback, but had been hijacked again. It was such a relief to know it was not just a random event, but a concerted effort by the enemy to get to her, and once more Peeta had been put in the middle. He had suffered so much for her. She hoped he could forgive himself, and that the new treatment was working for him.

Finally, it is time for Peeta to return home. Katniss has the house ready and Gale is going to bring him over when he arrives. When the vehicle pulls up outside her heart skips a beat. Then, she sees her beautiful baker's boy step out and runs straight to him. Peeta takes her in his arms. They kiss and Katniss stands back to look at him. He looks like the old Peeta again and, searching his eyes, she sees her love reflected. Katniss takes him by the hand and leads him inside. Gale follows them in and makes sure Peeta is OK before leaving them for a short while on their own.

Peeta notices Katniss' belly is very large now and he puts his hand on it straight away. The baby is doing somersaults. He is incredibly grateful and takes Katniss in his arms again. He can see she has healed well and the first thing he says is "sorry", again. He knows Katniss has forgiven him, she had on the very night it had happened. But he had been so ashamed, and needed to be sure he would never do that to her again.

They sit on the sofa together, Katniss leaning against him and Peeta with his hands on her stomach. She puts her head back and he kisses her softly on the lips. It is only two more months until the baby will be born and Katniss' mother is due two weeks before that to help Katniss prepare for the birth. Peeta really hopes there will not be any more complications. They have been through so much already. He is going to make sure he looks after her now that he is home.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Primal

 **Author's note: Detailed commentary about childbirth/labour (without blood/gore). Probably not for the faint hearted, but not deserving of a higher rating either.**

Katniss is expecting her mother any day now. She is starting to get very uncomfortable, again. The baby is very big and she is finding it hard to eat and sleep, even breathe sometimes. Peeta is very solicitous, catering to her every need. He has employed someone else to work in the Bakery well which means he can be with her most of the time.

They had given him the "all clear" in the Capitol when he was discharged. The chance of him having any more flashbacks is minimal. This means that they did not need to put any restrictions on Peeta when he returned home, but Haymitch and Gale call in everyday anyway. The three of them sometimes laugh at Katniss as she waddles around trying to keep the house in order. She has decided, herself, that her precious "bun" is just about done!

She refuses to let Peeta sleep anywhere else except in their bed, now that he is home, and he holds her close every night, noticing that her bad dreams are less frequent as well. Soon there will be something, or someone, else waking her up in the middle of the night!

Startled out of his sleep, Peeta can hear Katniss urgently calling to him.

"Peeta! Peeta!" she says whispering loudly.

Still groggy Peeta asks her "What is it?"

"I think the baby is coming!"

"How do you know?"

"My waters just broke" says Katniss.

Peeta seems confused.

"The waters around the baby. That means the baby is on its way. It could even be here today"

"But, your mother isn't here yet!" he says.

"I don't think it will wait for my mother, Peeta" says Katniss.

Peeta runs a bath for Katniss so she can relax. It is too early to get anyone else up and this could take a while. Katniss' contractions are far apart at the moment, every thirty minutes or so, and she says they are uncomfortable, but bearable. After a couple of hours, she tells Peeta she needs to walk, but she doesn't want to walk in the house. She feels too confined. Katniss wants to walk towards the woods by Prim's grave. Peeta doesn't like the idea, but he isn't going to argue with her now. Katniss is in control and this is her moment. She is primal.

They begin to walk and dawn is just beginning to break. Every now and again Katniss has to stop and lean on Peeta when she has another contraction. He keeps asking her if she wants to go back, but she says "no".

Eventually. they have walked past Prim's grave and, at Katniss' insistence, into the woods. The contractions are beginning to come closer together and soon Katniss tells Peeta they need to stop. Peeta sets down a blanket which Katniss kneels on trying to control her breathing. Annie had suggested breathing slowly and rhythmically as a way to help in between contractions. They are about 10 minutes apart and Peeta thinks that if he doesn't get her back to the house now, he might not get her there at all.

"Katniss, I need to get you back to the house"

"No!" says Katniss. "I can't move. I want to stay here".

Peeta had grabbed coats, as well as blankets, on his way out the door so he puts a coat over Katniss' back and looks around to see if he can find kindling for a fire to keep them warm. He had not been prepared for this.

"Katniss I am going to see if I can get you some water. There is a stream just over there".

Katniss agrees. When Peeta comes back, Katniss is beginning to cry out. This is going faster than Peeta expected. When Katniss cries out, he feels so helpless. He hates to see her in pain and it reminds him of the Jabberjays in the Quarter Quell. He had not been able to get to Katniss and it was one of the most difficult moments of his life, to see her in pain and not be able to help her. But this is a pain he knows she has to go through and he tries to steel himself to her cries.

Peeta manages to build a fire close by, but Katniss is in another world and probably does not even notice. As the labour intensifies, she wants to hold his hand and squeeze it each time she has a contraction. She tells Peeta it helps her to bear the pain. After a while, when Peeta says he wants to put more wood on the fire, Katniss says through gritted teeth, "Stay with me". "Always", he reassures her, as he allows her to tightly squeeze his hand. For several hours they remain like this and Peeta tries to keep her warm.

Eventually, Katniss drops onto all fours and is rocking backward and forward trying to cope with the pain. It must be getting close now. Then, Peeta hears a sound he has never heard from Katniss before. He had become accustomed to the cries of the last few hours, but this is new. It is a deep, guttural sound and instinctively he knows it is time for Katniss to push. He kneels beside her and waits to deliver their baby.

When baby Primrose finally makes her appearance she is a healthy weight and has a hearty cry. Katniss can't believe she has produced this little miracle and takes the baby straight to her chest to keep her warm. Peeta uses a knife from his pocket to cut the cord, which Katniss told him he should do, and Katniss ties a knot in the part of the cord still attached to the baby. She knows exactly what to do and Peeta can see she is a natural. He is so proud of her.

Peeta wraps Katniss and baby Primrose in another coat to keep them both warm and gets the fire started up again. Katniss needs to rest before she can be moved and Peeta just wants to have this moment with the three of them, together. They are finally a family.

 **Author's note: Theme music for the end of this chapter ('cos I sure need it...that was exhausting, but exhilirating!) Taylor Swift: Out of the Woods.**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Precious

Gale has been searching for Katniss and Peeta all day. Her mother has arrived and there is no sign of them at the house. After checking their room, Katniss' mother tells Gale that she thinks Katniss may have gone into labour. They need to find them. Gale gathers some of the Peacekeeping force to check the village and directs others to fan out around the area to look for them. Gale, himself, starts to check the areas around the Victor's Village as he thinks Katniss would not have gone too far from here. Haymitch decides to stay with Katniss' mother until they get any word.

Gale walks into the graveyard where Prim is buried and looks around. Close to the edge of the graveyard, where it joins with the woods, he notices something lying on the ground. It is a blanket that somebody has dropped. It looks familiar. Suddenly, his hunter's instincts on high alert, he hears a sound. It is not a sound he has heard in the forest before. Keeping very still, he listens again. It is the sound of a new born baby crying.

Crashing through the woods, Gale comes across a scene he will never forget. In an open area, on the spongy moss, he sees Katniss lying wrapped in coats and a small fire burning nearby. Peeta is lying beside her. Then he hears it again. Katniss stirs and takes baby Prim closer in her arms "shhhing" her and kissing her head. Gale moves forward.

"Katniss…"he says.

Katniss looks up at him with a tired smile and invites him to come over to her. She opens up the blankets and Gale sees the miracle that Peeta and Katniss have created.

"Meet Primrose Everdeen Mellark" she says.

"Katniss, she's beautiful" he says.

Peeta begins to stir and sees Gale standing beside Katniss.

"Congratulations, Peeta" says Gale.

Peeta gets up and thanks Gale, for everything.

"Katniss your mother is here and we have all been worried about you. We need to get you and baby Primrose back to the house. It is getting very cold out here."

It was cold. Night was falling again which meant they had been out in the woods for about sixteen hours. Gale says he will arrange for Katniss mother to come down to the woods to tend to her. He leaves them while Peeta cradles baby Prim and Katniss quickly washes in the stream nearby. When she is ready, and after her mother arrives, Peeta hands baby Prim to Katniss' mother. He gathers Katniss in his arms to carry her back to the house. Baby Primrose is not crying. Katniss has already fed her and now she is fast asleep.

When they get to the house they find Haymitch has set a fire and Peeta brings Katniss to their room. Katniss' mother brings baby Prim to her and, after checking everything is OK, they leave the family alone for the night so they can rest. Peeta is exhausted, too.

Visitors gather from the next day onwards and Katniss is revelling in her role as a new mother. She has come out of the ordeal very well and Peeta could not be more proud of them both. Primrose seems to be a good baby who loves to eat, sleep and rest in her parent's arms. Everything feels complete.

One day, Peeta surprises Katniss. When Primrose is about six weeks old he comes home from the bakery and tells her he has cooked a special treat. He hands it to her and tells her not to bite into it too hard, that is has a special centre. Katniss takes it from him and bites gently down on it. Her teeth hit something hard and she says:

"Peeta, there is something hard inside this cake".

"I know" is all he says.

Katniss places it in one hand and uses the other to break away the rest of the cake. She wants to see what is inside. Katniss can't believe what appears. It is a ring! Not just any sort of ring, but an engagement ring!

"Oh my God, Peeta!" she cries.

Peter responds by getting down on one knee. This time it isn't for the cameras. "Katniss Everdeen, will you marry me?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" is all Katniss says.

He pulls her up from the sofa and takes her in his arms. This is what he has wanted for a long time, and thought he could never have. Now, he not only has Katniss, but their precious baby daughter as well. He gently places the ring on her finger. It is a perfect fit.

"I love you, Katniss" he says kissing her before leading her up the stairs.

"I love you, too" she says, choking back the tears, as she allows him to lead her to the place where dreams are made.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's note: This is a follow on from The Missing Pieces and Pieces and Passion. As this is a series I have discovered it cannot be published as a new story, so this is a continuation of the first two "books". This book is called "Passion with Purpose". I hope you enjoy it :)**

Chapter 18: Purpose

Katniss has begun to make plans for her and Peeta's wedding. It is 6 months since Primrose Everdeen Mellark was born and she is growing into a fine little girl. She has dark hair, like her mother, and Peeta's beautiful brown eyes. Katniss and Peeta couldn't be happier.

There is a knock at the door. It's Haymitch. He goes straight over to Prim and picks her up. She is lying on a blanket in the front parlour playing with toys strung across a model that Peeta has created for her. She immediately gives a delighted squeal and snuggles up to Haymitch.

"Little Miss Prim!" says Haymitch. "How are you today?"

Katniss hears Haymitch from the kitchen and comes out to the parlour. Being an uncle suits Haymitch. He is revelling in little Prim's unconditional love and visits nearly every day.

"Well, Haymitch" says Katniss. "Couldn't stay away?"

"From this little treasure?" he says.

"Haymitch, I need to go and see Peeta in the bakery. Can you mind Prim for me while I take a quick walk?"

"No problem" he says.

Katniss gives Prim a kiss and tells her to be good for Haymitch. Primrose gives her mother a big smile and waves her goodbye.

Katniss needs to see Peeta about the guest list and it can't wait. They have so much to organize and they have to get the invitations out today to give their guests time to plan their trip to District 12. The wedding is in August, at the end of the summer, which is only 3 months away so they need to give time for replies as well.

Peeta sees Katniss coming and puts away his drawings of the cake he is planning to bake for the wedding. He wants it to be a surprise.

"Katniss" he says.

"Peeta" she answers with a smile. Her love for him has never waned, nor his for her. Any separation only makes their feelings grow stronger.

Katniss continues. "We need to get this guest list and the invitations sorted out by the end of the day. There are so many people we should invite!"

Peeta smiles at her. She's right. They have made friends in a number of Districts since the Games, and in the aftermath of the Rebellion, but many of them are "well wishers" and they can't invite them all.

"What's the problem?" Peeta asks kindly.

"Well, I want to invite them all!" she says. Typical Katniss, thinks Peeta, so eager for everyone to be able to share in their happiness.

Peeta laughs at her. "We could just hijack the Capitol communications system and send out a newscast to the whole of Panem, Katniss" he says.

She knows he is teasing her and gives him a scowl.

"OK" he says. First, there is family, so that is your mother". It is hard to acknowledge that after the Rebellion they had only one direct family member left. Peeta's own family had all been lost in the attack on District 12. He doesn't know where he would be without Katniss. He remembers telling her "nobody needs me" during the Quarter Quell. He had said it with a sincere heart and much regret. Peeta never felt he was really needed by his family, just _used_ to do what needed to be done. Then cast away, like the bread to the pigs. It is a thought he prefers to avoid now that he has Katniss by his side. Now, two people need him more than anything else in the world.

Peeta goes on. "Then, there are our closest friends and allies from the Games". He runs down the list naming Gale, Haymitch, Effie, Annie and Finn, Johanna and Beetee. So many others had been lost in the Rebellion.

"Should we invite anyone from the Capitol?" says Katniss.

"Apart from Effie?" says Peeta.

"Well, some of them did help us, I guess I just don't like to admit it!" says Katniss.

Peeta suggests the people Katniss might be thinking about. Plutarch, Paylor, Cressida, Pollux, Tigress. Somehow Peeta can't imagine the reaction of people in District 12 to Tigress, but Tigress had sheltered them and, if it wasn't for her, probably none of them would have survived.

"We can also tell each of them to invite anyone else we might have forgotten or that they would like to bring. Then they can get back to us with numbers" Peeta suggests.

"OK" says Katniss. That might work, she thinks. They had been so caught up in their own little world since Primrose had been born that they hadn't maintained contact with all the people they knew and who had wished them well. But they did need some idea of numbers for catering. Katniss was also going to travel the Capitol and meet Effie who would help her pick out a wedding dress. Peeta had insisted. He had been working very hard to provide for his new family and wanted Katniss to have what her heart desired for her wedding day. Snow had tainted the idea so badly, Katniss needed to make this day her own. Peeta was happy to go with the flow. His main focus was the cake.

Making her way back to the house Katniss runs into Gale. He is still on peacekeeping duties in District 12. It is his home too, after all, and one which he had been glad to return to all those months ago. Gale has adjusted to the idea of Katniss and Peeta being together and loves baby Prim as well. He often visits, and Gale and Peeta have become friends. Katniss is actually a little bit jealous of their friendship now. It was the type that only men could share and sometimes she felt left out. Now, instead of Peeta being the outsider, Katniss felt like the outsider in their friendship.

"Gale!" says Katniss.

"Hey, Katnip" he replies. Every now and again he reverts to using his old nickname for her and it makes her feel a little childish. She is no longer a child, but a grown woman with a baby of her own. It isn't fair of Gale to pull her back to the past, a past she is trying hard to forget.

"Peeta and I were just talking about the wedding invitations. I know you are coming, but I will make sure to give you an invitation anyway" she says.

"How do you know I am coming?" asks Gale.

There was a lot of teasing going on today and Katniss decides she doesn't have time for this. Why won't these men take her seriously? It's infuriating!

"Because I invited you!" she says and continues on down the street back to the house.

Gale still delights in teasing Katniss. She isn't always good at responding, she has such a serious side as well. It all depends on the mood she is in and Gale knows he has to pick his moments. She has become so mature since having Primrose. There was always a surety about Katniss which had existed even prior to the Games and the Rebellion, but it had morphed into something new. It is the surety that is guaranteed when you know you have found your purpose in life.

Katniss had found her purpose, one she had chosen and not one chosen by the Capitol, or the rebels. Gale had seen Katniss come into her own thanks to her relationship with Peeta and the birth of baby Primrose. If she was a mighty force before, she had become an even mightier one now. Hopefully she would never need to match another foe as devious and deadly as Snow. Life had been hard enough on Katniss already.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Preparation

Katniss had organized to go into the Capitol to meet Effie so they could shop for her wedding dress. Effie knew all the best stores. It would be Katniss' choice, of course, unlike the last time. This is what Effie was made for and she was so excited. She had gone to District 12 to visit after Primrose was born and couldn't believe how motherhood suited Katniss. It was like she was meant for it. So different from the stubborn, defiant girl who had volunteered for the first Hunger Games.

Katniss had decided that Prim was too young to travel with her all the way to the Capitol. It would be hard to shop with a baby in your arms. So she decided that she would ask her mother to come up and help Peeta out, as he still needed to do his work in the bakery. Of course Katniss mother was delighted to be given the opportunity to look after little Prim. She had not been able to make it up as often as she would have liked with her commitments in District 4.

Katniss would travel down on Friday, shop with Effie on Saturday and then return on Sunday. She had not been back to the Capitol since shooting the Propos, but knew she could not avoid it forever. This time Katniss wasn't sick on the train and she wondered how everything had happened so quickly for her and Peeta the first time. It had been a surprise to everyone. Neither of them had any regrets. Prim was beautiful and they wouldn't be without her. Still, Katniss thought about what else the future might hold. If they had one baby, then they could have more and she would dearly love a little boy, too.

Arriving in the Capitol, Katniss sees Effie waving to her as the train pulls in. There are a lot of people at the Capitol station and they have to push their way through the crowds to get out. Effie wants to take Katniss for a bite to eat first. The food on the train is terrible these days and she knows Katniss loves the Capitol food. They head down some spacious streets looking for a place to stop and Katniss is taking it all in. The last time they had been in the Capitol they not been allowed out, for security reasons, and prior to the Games they were always confined to the Tribute Centre. This was the closest Katniss had actually been to the real heart of the Capitol.

There were a mixture of people in the streets. Some still "parading" with their outlandish styles, wigs and makeup. For these people not much had changed since the overthrow of Snow. There would always be the haves and have nots…..even in the New Panem. Then there were the more ordinary types, less flamboyant, but obviously not labourers of any kind. They would be the people working in trade, finance, offices. At least they had a job, thought Katniss. Finally, there were the beggars. The people who had come into the Capitol to find work and, unfortunately, had managed to find none. They weren't looking for anything fancy, just a chance to make the money needed to feed their families. Not all the districts had fared so well after the Rebellion.

District 12 had become a hub for the production of medicines. The coal mines were no longer in existence since the destruction of 12 and people had to find a new way to thrive. Well, you could hardly have called it thriving at the time of their first Games. People were barely surviving. Katniss starts to feel herself becoming angry at the thought of all the hardship her people, and her family, had endured. She was glad things had changed, just sorry it had cost so much.

Effie finally locates a Restaurant she thinks will have some of Katniss favourites and they sit down to eat. Katniss will enjoy the Capitol food this time around.

"You look so well, Katniss" says Effie. "Motherhood suits you".

"Could you ever have imagined me as a mother? I know, I couldn't!" says Katniss.

"Well, to be honest Katniss, I never thought you would be fortunate enough to survive the Games. Peeta either" says Effie, becoming a little bit teary. Katniss remembers how emotional Effie had become seeing them both off to the last Games. She really was quite attached to them.

"It was meant to be, Effie. Prim proves that, and Peeta and I are so happy now" Katniss says with a smile and appreciation.

"I'm so glad" Effie says, taking Katniss' hand across the table. She really is a romantic and Katniss wonders how she and Haymitch will hit it off at the wedding. Katniss is pretty sure Haymitch has a soft spot for Effie and he has softened up even more since Primrose was born. Maybe Haymitch will take one for the team this time, Katniss thinks. For now, she and Effie discuss dresses and enjoy one of the best meals Katniss has had in ages. She really has to do this again, only next time with Prim and Peeta. A family outing for the three of them. That would be nice.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Comfort

Peeta meets Katniss at the train station. She is so happy to see him. It has been three days since they were together last and, in spite of revelling in the high fashion stakes of the Capitol, Katniss has missed him.

"Well, how was your trip?" asks Peeta.

"Exhausting" says Katniss. "You wouldn't believe how many stores there are in the Capitol that sell wedding dresses and I think Effie took me to them all!"

"That sounds like Effie, alright. She still wants to bask in the glow of her Tributes from District 12", but he said it kindly, and with humour. They both knew how excited Effie had always been to put on a good show. They were a reflection of her, and Peeta was hoping she hadn't tried to influence Katniss too much in her choice of wedding dress. He couldn't imagine how Katniss would look if it was left up to Effie! Cinna had been a different story. The wedding dresses he designed for her had been beautiful, but still marked by the stain of Snow and the Capitol.

"How is baby Prim?" asks Katniss.

"She's fine. She has been good for your mother, but I think she missed you. We couldn't get as many smiles out of her and she was harder to settle. Somehow, she seemed to know you weren't around".

Katniss couldn't wait to take Prim up in her arms again and smell her lovely baby smell. She would just tuck her head into little Prim's neck and breathe that smell in deeply when she got home. It was so comforting. Peeta collects Katniss' bags and they walk home together. She has not brought her wedding dress home yet, although Peeta assumes she has chosen something already. He forgot to ask.

When they arrive, Prim is in her cradle fast asleep. She looks so beautiful and peaceful. Katniss' mother will stay one more night before she heads back to District 4 tomorrow. That way they can spend some time together and Katniss can discuss the dress with her. After giving Katniss a kiss, Peeta goes back to the bakery to begin preparations for the next day. He tells her he won't be long.

Katniss and her mother sit down to talk about the wedding.

"How are the preparations going?" asks her mother.

"Good. We have gotten the invitations out and should be getting some replies soon. We sent yours in the mail, too. The dress is being prepared and Peeta is baking the cake, but he won't tell me anything about it" says Katniss.

"I'm sure his cake and your dress will both be beautiful" her mother says. "How are you coping with the baby? What about Peeta?"

"Prim is such a good girl. She only really cries if she is hungry or tired and sometimes when she wants to be held. She sleeps so well and so do I now. I haven't had any really bad nightmares for a long time" says Katniss. She hopes it stays that way. They were so draining and the only thing that had ever really helped was having Peeta by her side. Once she had woken baby Prim up with one of her nightmares. Katniss had been screaming for her sister and Peeta had not woken quickly enough to keep Katniss from waking the baby. Prim's cries had snapped Katniss back to reality. Peeta had picked Prim up from her cot and held them both in his arms for the rest of the night. His arms were always so comforting.

"Well, I am glad that you seem to be turning a corner, and Peeta, too. He is so good with Prim and wouldn't let me do anything when he was here. The only time I really got to spend with her was when he had to go to the shop and then he was reluctant to leave. He is so devoted to you both" her mother said.

Katniss knew this and felt the same about him. At least her mother could now review her thinking on Peeta, what kind of man he was, what kind of husband he would be, and father. Katniss was happy that her mother had been able to spend the time with him on her own. She had never really known Peeta before this, only in a very distant sense. The fact they had been neighbours in the Victor's Village didn't really make a difference because it had been such a short time between the Victory Tour and the Quarter Quell. There had been very little time for them to get to know each other at all.

The phone suddenly rings and Katniss answers. It's Peeta.

"Katniss, I have left the details for a cake I am baking in the study. Any chance you could bring it up to me quickly?"

"I will check that Mum is OK to stay with Prim while I will bring it up" she says.

"Thank you. See you soon" Peeta replies.

Katniss checks with her mother and then looks for Peeta's drawing. It is on the top of his desk, so she grabs it quickly and makes her way to the shop. When she gets to the bakery she sees what looks like candelight in the window. That's strange. She can't see Peeta, but walks in to find the candles marking a path to the back of the shop.

"Peeta?" she calls.

As she walks to the back she sees a table set with more candles and flowers. There is wine and food prepared.

"Peeta?" she says again.

Suddenly, he scoops her up from behind, turns her around and sits her on the table. Without hesitation, Peeta kisses her deeply. Katniss responds. She has missed his touch so much.

"Peeta" she breathes.

"I love you, Katniss", he says. She knows. She knows he loves her with all of his being and he is showing her again tonight.

"I love you, too" she responds breathlessly.

Peeta draws her closer. His kisses ignite her passion. Katniss doesn't want the food, the wine. She just wants him. It becomes another moment of joining together that the two of them will never forget. Katniss could not love Peeta more.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Resistance

Katniss' mother leaves the next day and promises to be back for the wedding. It is two months away and there is still so much to do.

"Peeta?" Katniss calls out to him in the garden. He has decided to take the morning off work to spend it with Katniss and Prim.

"Uh huh" Peeta replies distractedly.

"I am thinking about going out for a walk to Prim's grave. Do you want to come with me?"

"You get Primrose ready and I will be there in a few minutes" he says.

Katniss goes up the stairs to get Prim ready. She is just beginning to stir in her cot.

"Hello, Primrose" Katniss says.

Prim gives her a big smile and goos at her. She is such a happy baby.

When Peeta is ready, and after Katniss has fed Prim and put her in a sling on her chest, they head off to the graveyard. It is a lovely Summer's day and an easy walk. The flowers are blooming, the birds are singing and Katniss has her two favourite people in the whole world with her. It's a perfect day.

As they get closer to Prim's grave, Katniss can see that something is wrong. The flowerbed on the top of the grave has been disturbed. Some of the flowers have been pulled up and flung off to the side. They are now lying lifeless beside it. Katniss can't understand who would do something like that. Then she sees what has replaced the flowers and is stopped in her tracks. All the breath is suddenly sucked from her lungs. There is a rose bush in full bloom. Not just any rose bush, but a white rose bush, shimmering in the sunlight.

Peeta sees it at the same time and rushes over to the grave to pull it out by the root. He flings it as far away as possible and turns back to look at Katniss. The colour has drained out of her face and she is trembling. He can see the terror in her eyes.

"Peeta" she whispers, almost inaudibly. "It's happening again".

Peeta grabs Katniss just as she begins to slide to the ground. Prim starts to cry and Peeta loosens the wrap and takes Prim in his arms before laying Katniss gently on the ground. He tries to create a breeze on her face with the shawl to help bring her around. Who would do this?!

Peeta remembers that the peacekeepers who had tried to hijack him when Katniss was pregnant had not been caught yet. Gale had had told him they were probably deep underground. Many of them were trained military personnel who knew how to remain undetected for months, even years. Unfortunately, on the night of Peeta's hijacking, they'd had plenty of time to escape. Peeta wonders how many dissident Peacekeepers are still part of the current force. He knows Gale is going to see Paylor soon to get an update on the situation.

At the same time, Peeta can't help feeling this is different. The roses were Snow's signature and Peeta remembers it is not only disgruntled members of Alma Coin's force they have to worry about. There is also the Capitol Resistance. They would be aware of Snow's predilection for roses, white roses. Katniss hated them and would not allow Peeta to plant a rose of any colour in their garden. Now someone had planted one on top of Prim's grave!

Katniss begins to come around.

"Katniss" Peeta begins.

"Oh, Peeta" she says. "What is happening? The last time he left roses for me I thought he was going to kill you!" Katniss cries. She was thinking back to the bombing of 13 and how Snow had dropped thousands of roses on top of the rubble. It was a warning to her. It was a warning that someone she loved was going to die.

"Katniss, it's just a rose bush. Maybe someone planted it there thinking Prim would like it, or as a gesture of condolence". Even as he says this, Peeta knew this isn't true. It is a threat. A very veiled, but very direct threat to Katniss and those she loves. He has to try and reassure her.

"Peeta, you know that isn't true! No one here would disturb Prim's grave. They know how much it means to me. We have to go and tell Gale". Gale still being in District 12 provided Katniss with some comfort. He would always look out for her, for them. Hopefully he had his finger on the Capitol pulse.

Peeta helps Katniss up and they make their way back to the town centre. Gale is in the barracks and is surprised to see the whole family walk in. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" he says cheerily.

Then he sees the haunted look in Katniss' eyes and realizes they are not there for pleasure.

Peeta begins "Gale, we went out to visit Primrose's grave and it was disturbed. Someone had removed some of the flowers from the top and replaced them with a rose bush".

"What kind of rose bush?" Gale asks hesitantly.

Katniss replies "A white rose bush. The kind that Snow kept in his garden. He is dead, but he is still threatening me". Katniss' voice rises along with her fear.

"Katniss" says Gale "we don't know who put it there or why. It's better not to jump to conclusions. I will look into it, I promise".

"Please, Gale" Katniss pleads.

Gale hasn't seen her this vulnerable in a long time. She really is afraid and that monster Snow is the one who created this fear in her. Killing him wasn't enough, thinks Gale. It will never be enough.

"Thanks, Gale. We would really appreciate that" says Peeta. Every time they think they have thrown off the yoke of Snow, the Games, the Rebellion, something comes back to haunt them and tries to destroy their happiness. Peeta is not going to let that happen this time. They have been through too much already.

Peeta takes Katniss back to the house and sits her in the parlour. Prim is crying again because she is hungry so Katniss opens the buttons of her blouse to begin feeding her. The look in her eyes tells Peeta that she is far away from Prim, and from him. She is back in the meeting with Snow prior to the Victory Tour and he is telling her she had better convince him. Or people were going to die. People she loved.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Pieces (I)

It is a week since the discovery of the rose bush planted on top of Prim's grave. Katniss has not been herself ever since. She seems to have retreated into her dark past, the past of the Games and the Rebellion. Peeta is finding it hard to reach her there.

"Katniss" he says gently.

"Hmmm?" she replies.

"Prim is crying. She needs to be fed".

Katniss is lying on their bed and doesn't move. She can't. It feels like all the strength has been drained out of her body. How can someone dead and gone sap life out of the living? Snow is not even a real presence anymore. What is a presence, Katniss knows, is the evil he represented. That evil had set out to destroy her and Peeta. It had almost succeeded. She can't lose him again. She can't lose Prim. She can't lose anyone else. Unable to confront the evil, with so much to lose, Katniss retreats into herself. It took everything she had to fight it the last time. Now she feels she has nothing left to give.

"Come on Katniss" says Peeta as he lifts baby Prim out of her cot. He carries her over to Katniss and Prim's cries get louder.

"I can't" she says.

"Yes, you can. Please, Katniss! Prim needs you".

Katniss has been needed by too many people. Even baby Prim is making demands she can't meet right now. Her milk is beginning to dry up, due to the shock of their discovery. and she knows Prim is not getting what she needs from her. Katniss feels like a bad mother. As Peeta tries to hand Prim to her, Katniss shouts at him:

"Leave me alone!"

Peeta has never seen Katniss like this before and is taken aback at her anger. Prim is becoming very distressed. He decides he will need to get some advice from the apothecary in the village, to see if there is something he can get to help Katniss and also to find out what he can do about feeding Prim properly. She has been eating some solid food, but still takes milk from the breast and Peeta needs to know what might be a good substitute for that. He knows Katniss can't help the way she is feeling and Peeta is trying not to be angry with her, but Prim needs her. He needs her.

Peeta gathers Prim up to take her for a walk into the village, hoping that will distract her while he tries to work out what he is going to do. Katniss stays on the bed and doesn't move to say goodbye to them before they head out the door.

On the way into the village, Peeta sees Gale. He's on duty and Peeta decides to stop him and tell him about Katniss. She seems to be beyond anyone's reach right now and Peeta wonders if Gale has any news about the rose bush that was planted on Prim's grave.

"Gale. I need to talk to you about Katniss. She's hasn't been herself since we found that rose bush. She's stopped feeding Prim and can't seem to get out of bed right now. Have you found out anything about the rose bush?"

Gale is also concerned. He knows Katniss is not doing well because Haymitch has already told him as much . Gale wonders if Katniss has finally reached her breaking point. Like the berries in the arena, that helped to bring down the fragile system of the Capitol, was it possible that a simple rose bush could bring down the Rebellion's Mockingjay? He had seen that possibility once before, in District 13, after the bombing. When Katniss thought Snow was going to kill Peeta. It completely immobilized her. The sheer terror at the idea of losing Peeta had overwhelmed her.

"Peeta, I am planning a trip to the Capitol in the next couple of weeks to try and find out the latest on the Resistance. I also want to get an update on the missing Peacekeepers. So far, we have no idea who could have done this and I have my men keeping an eye out for any strangers in the town".

"It has to be someone who was in the village at the time. Maybe someone noticed a stranger last week. Have you asked people about what they saw then?"

"We have, and no one has reported seeing anyone or anything suspicious. But we haven't stopped looking Peeta".

Peeta believed him. Gale would not want Katniss to suffer any more either.

"Thank you, Gale. Can you let me know if you hear anything?" he says.

"I will" Gale replies and looks with concern after Peeta as he heads up to the Apothecary with Prim.

Gale and his men have questioned the townsfolk and they have not been able to turn up anything remotely suspicious. But, that wasn't saying much, considering two of his own Peacekeepers had hijacked Peeta without Gale even being aware of the plot. He promises himself he will do everything he can to find out who is behind this and why.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Pieces (II)

Katniss climbs off the bed while Peeta and Prim are gone. She walks across to Prim's cot, looks at all the reminders of their beautiful baby girl, and feels nothing. It is better to feel nothing, she thinks. Better that Prim doesn't get too attached to her, or her to Prim. There was never going to be a good outcome to her hopes and dreams. Snow had assured her of that. He would always be lurking in the background somewhere waiting to destroy her and her happiness.

Katniss goes down the stairs and sees Peeta heading up the path with Prim. She doesn't want to see anyone right now so she heads out the back door and makes her way to the graveyard. It is beautiful because it is summer, but the beauty doesn't touch her today. She feels empty inside, like every fibre of her being has been drained of purpose, meaning, joy. It's like a black hole is swallowing her up and she can't escape. What is wrong with her?

When Peeta gets back he sees Katniss is no longer in the bed and nowhere to be found in the house. The Apothecary has given him a powder to mix up with water for Prim. He has to feed it to her with a special glass bottle and teat. The fact that Prim was now eating some solids means she doesn't need as much milk, he said, but Peeta would need to feed her this until her stomach is able to take milk from the goat. That would not be for another 6-12 months. Peeta realizes he has to get Katniss back, not just because Prim needs her milk, but because Prim needs her mother. No one else can be a mother to Prim except Katniss.

He feeds Prim with the new formula and she quietens down immediately. She must have been so hungry, he thinks. When she is finished he walks across to Haymitch and asks him if he can mind Prim for a little while and goes in search of Katniss. He thinks he knows where to go and heads for the graveyard. He finds Katniss sitting by Prim's grave.

"Katniss…"

She doesn't look up at him, but turns her face away. His love and concern is like a burning brand to her heart. It is just painful to know how much he cares and how unable she is to respond right now.

"Katniss" he says again as kneels down beside her.

She finally looks up at him and her expression is blank. She wants him to leave her alone. Katniss can't tell him what he wants to hear. She can't give him what he needs. She can't even help herself right now.

"It is going to be OK, Katniss. We have gotten through everything they put us through before. Remember my hijacking? Neither of us thought we would ever get through that, but we did. And we will get through this, too".

Katniss hears him speak, but she doesn't respond. Peeta takes her gently by the hand and brings her to her feet. She allows him to hold her and he eventually coaxes her to come back to the house. Peeta makes Katniss eat something before bringing her back to bed. He kisses her gently and tells her he loves her, then Peeta goes across to Haymitch to pick up baby Prim who has fallen asleep. Haymitch asks about Katniss.

"She won't respond to me or Prim. I don't know what to do" says Peeta, clearly upset.

"Peeta, remember when the Capitol captured you and then hijacked your memories? Do you remember what a dark and lonely place that was? How hopeless it seemed as they ate away at everything that was good in your life, day after day? The way they replaced the good with the bad and created fear in your heart? Well, Katniss is in a type of hijacked state, too. Her bad memories are overwhelming her, and she doesn't know how to escape them right now. The darkness of the past is replacing the goodness of the present. It is replacing you and Prim. She is so afraid of losing everything she holds dear, everything that gives her life meaning and purpose, that she has stopped holding onto it at all. That way she can't be hurt again. Snow can never get to her again if she just lets you go and the darkness overtake her".

Peeta knows that what Haymitch is saying is true. Katniss is letting the darkness in and it is threatening to overwhelm her. Somehow they need Katniss to see the good in her life and use that to fight back against a dead man and his legacy.

"She fought so hard not to let that happen before. She always fought for something. If she stops fighting now, what does that mean for us, for me and Prim?" Peeta says.

"The only thing it can mean. That you need to start fighting for Katniss right now" says Haymitch.

Peeta and Katniss had picked up the pieces of their lives, but Katniss had lost sight of the glue holding those pieces together. That glue was love. Peeta knows it is the only thing greater than the evil they need to overcome, the evil they will always need to overcome. He prepares for battle.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Principles

Katniss has continued to retreat further into herself and Peeta is finding it hard to manage between her breakdown, trying to care for little Prim and overseeing what needs to be done at the bakery. Peeta decides to call Annie.

"Hey, Annie" he says when she picks up the phone.

"Peeta!" she says. "What a surprise. I wasn't expecting to hear from you. In fact, I was just getting ready to send a reply to your invitation to the wedding".

"I'm not sure there's going to be a wedding" Peeta says.

Annie can hear the distress in Peeta's voice.

"What do you mean?" she asks.

"Katniss isn't well right now and I don't know what to do to help her" he says.

"What's wrong with Katniss, Peeta?" Annie asks.

He explains to Annie what has happened, starting with the discovery of the rose bush on Prim's grave. She listens intently. Annie knows the way the evil of the Capitol can penetrate your heart, and your mind. Fortunately, for her, she had not made the same impression on Snow. She was not the Mockingjay and had escaped the worst rigours of Capitol torment. It was obvious to her that Katniss was not so fortunate.

"Peeta" says Annie. "If it's OK with you, I am going to make arrangements to come up and spend some time with Katniss. I think she needs a friend right now. Someone who can understand what she is going through, but not someone she is too close to and that she might be afraid of losing. Katniss won't let you in because the thought of losing you again is too painful for her. It's the same with Prim".

Annie is right. Katniss is not allowing any closeness between them. She has completely shut herself off from him and Prim. Maybe Annie will be able to reach her and Peeta knows that this is preferable to having to send Katniss to the Capitol for treatment. That would be a last resort.

"Thank you, Annie. I didn't know who else to call".

"Peeta, I will come up during the week. I am going to organize for someone to care for Finn so that I can focus on being there for Katniss when I arrive. I can help out with baby Prim, too."

Peeta thanks her and puts down the phone. He feels relieved that Annie has offered to help. At the same time he wonders if anyone will be able to reach Katniss right now. They have to try. Peeta hates seeing her like this and he can't imagine what it must be like for Katniss, locked in a world of fear. What he can begin to imagine is how difficult it must have been for Katniss when she had to watch him go through the same thing in the aftermath of his hijacking. Wanting, trying even, to reach him and being blocked at every turn. That must have been so painful for her. Peeta doesn't even want to think about the times he tried to kill her and told Prim to do the same.

She had gotten angry once and called him a "Capitol mutt". Then she called him an ally. She had gone on to tell him all the things she knew about him. In the end she had to walk away. Because he wasn't Peeta, not the Peeta she remembered and loved.

Peeta knows he was a shadow of the person he used to be after the Capitol had finished with him. But, he had made a full recovery and, Peeta believed, Katniss could do the same. He wasn't angry with her, he wanted to help her. He just didn't know how. Peeta hoped that Annie coming to visit would make a difference. And he wasn't giving up on Katniss, not now, not ever. That was a principle he had lived by and, because of it, everything in his world had changed.

Gale has made the arrangements to travel to the Capitol. It is now two weeks since the rose bush was left on top of Prim's grave. The Peacekeepers in District 12 were making no headway in discovering who might have done this and Gale wants to find out if they have any updated information on the Resistance. He arrives in the Capitol during the week and makes his way straight to Paylor's office. She is expecting him.

"Gale" she says as he walks in the door.

"President Paylor" he replies.

"Gale, I know why you are here and I want to tell you we are doing everything we can to try and find out who is behind this despicable act".

"What can you tell me about the current situation with the Resistance?" asks Gale.

"Well, since Katniss did the Propos a few months ago things have quietened down as far as the Resistance goes. That was a big help towards uniting the Districts and keeping people safe. It also helped us round up some of the Rebels". So, that should mean they are willing to help Katniss, Gale thinks.

"Any word on the missing Peacekeepers?" Gale asks.

"Not so far. We are working to get information from the people we have captured, but they are not talking. These are hard core fighters who refuse to divulge any information about their fellow rebels or their plans". Gale knows he would have been the same if he had been captured by the Capitol during the Rebellion. He needs to start thinking like these people again. It might be a way to make inroads into what they are planning.

"Someone came to District 12, undetected, and planted that rose bush on Prim's grave. I have checked the woods and the surrounding areas, but the footprints I've found could belong to anyone. There is no way of knowing how they entered the village, but we do know the reason they did. Katniss is in a state of sheer terror and has shut down to everyone around her. No one can get through to her right now".

"I'm sorry to hear about Katniss, Gale. We thought the last attempt would be the only one. We were wrong. There are hospitals here, in the Capitol, that might be able to help". Was Paylor suggesting that this was Katniss' problem and not a problem of the Capitol?

"What Katniss needs is for us to find the people who did this, the people who have struck fear into her heart again. We need to put an end to this once and for all!"

"And we will" says Paylor.

Gale feels that Katniss is not a main priority for Paylor. They have gotten what they wanted from her and now they are leaving Katniss to her fate, whatever that might be. Gale feels the anger rising in his chest. They wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Katniss, their Mockingjay. Gale decides, on principle, he needs to do his own piece of investigating, without the help of the Capitol. He will not ask Paylor's permission. Katniss' well being, Peeta's and Prim's is all the permission he needs.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Postponement

It is only 6 weeks now until the wedding. Katniss condition hasn't improved and Peeta knows that they have no choice but to postpone the wedding. He is not sure how long it will take for Katniss to get better, but Peeta decides they will take as much time as they need. She is in no condition to keep planning the wedding, never mind look forward to it. The long reaching shadow of Snow has tainted the occasion again and Peeta wishes that Katniss had killed Snow first, before she aimed her arrow at Alma Coin. The proof he was actually dead might help to convince Katniss she has nothing to fear. Peeta decides to contact Effie.

"Effie" he says.

"Peeta! How are you? How are Katniss and Prim? I have been waiting to hear from her about the next fitting for the dress".

Peeta dives straight in with the bad news.

"Effie, I'm afraid we are going to have to postpone the wedding. Katniss isn't well right now and it's going to take her a little bit longer to get better. We have to put everything on hold".

"Oh, no" says Effie. "What's wrong with Katniss?"

Peeta doesn't want to go into all the details with Effie. He doesn't know who he can trust anymore, especially when it comes to the Capitol crowd. He knows this is unfair on Effie who has always been a champion of her Victors from District 12 but, for Katniss' sake, he wants to keep their situation private.

"She is suffering from some kind of melancholy after Prim's birth, so we are giving her time to recover first".

"Oh, people from the Capitol suffer from melancholy all the time!" says Effie. "Sometimes there's not even a big change in their lives, but they just don't know how to handle things so they become very morose. We have doctors here who can help with that". Peeta wonders how Effie can always manage to sound so cheerful even in the worst of circumstances. She has no idea, but Peeta knows that's not Effie's fault. She has led a very sheltered life in the Capitol.

"At the moment we are trying to treat her here, in District 12, Effie. She really doesn't want to leave, especially with Prim to look after". Peeta hated lying, but it was really a half truth rather than a lie. He could explain it all to Effie when Katniss was better.

"I understand" says Effie. "Is there anything I can do to help? I can give you the names of some of the doctors in the Capitol if you like".

"Thanks, Effie. I will let you know if Katniss changes her mind about that. In the meantime, can you please ask the dressmaker to postpone the fitting? That would be a great help".

Effie agrees and tells Peeta he will love the dress Katniss has chosen. Peeta still hopes he will get to see it on Katniss. He tells Effie he will be in touch soon and, after asking her to keep their conversation private, he puts down the phone. He knows keeping things private will be hard for Effie. She just loves the buzz of Capitol gossip, but he hopes she will respect their privacy.

After hanging up the phone, Peeta realizes he will have to broach the subject with Katniss. He doesn't know how she will take it, or if she will even care. He heads upstairs to their room.

"Katniss". She is lying on the bed, but is awake and turns to look at him. The emptiness is still in her eyes and he starts to tell her was he is thinking.

"I have just spoken to Effie" he says.

There is no response from Katniss.

"She was telling me there are doctors in the Capitol who can help with your melancholy" he says.

Melancholy, Katniss thinks. Is that what this is? She remembers her own mother and her reaction to Katniss' father's death. Katniss is now beginning to understand what that must have been like. But, she doesn't want to be like her mother. Katniss remembers her sense of abandonment at the time and how much that had hurt her and Prim. They almost died because their mother was absent to them. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. She does not want to be like her mother.

"Do you think I am suffering from melancholy?" she asks Peeta.

"No" he says. He knows Katniss has every right to feel the way she is feeling about the past and the evil they have been confronted with again. He is not going to lie to her, or make light of the reality of that evil.

"What is wrong with me?" she asks.

"Katniss, you have been through more than most people go through in a lifetime, in several lifetimes. There is no shame in the way you are feeling. So many things have happened that have been beyond your control. Devastating things. I know. Yet somehow you have always seemed to find the strength to overcome them. Right now, you have lost that strength. No one, especially me, thinks any less of you for that. What you need, though, is the ability to see what is good in your life again".

Katniss feels something stirring deep inside. She pushes it down and won't allow tears to fill her eyes. The only goodness Katniss sees right now is the kind that will release them all from their pain and remove them from the shadow that Snow continues to cast over their life.

"I am no good for you, Peeta. I am no good for Prim. This is going to follow me, us, for the rest of our lives. I want you and Prim to have a good life. The life you deserve. You will never be able to have that with me" Katniss says.

"I already have that with you, Katniss, and I couldn't love you or Prim more. We need you".

Prim. Katniss loves her with all her heart, but doesn't want Prim to suffer because of her. That's not what a mother would do.

Peeta sees that Katniss is listening, but she is still too far away for him to reach her right now. Maybe this conversation is a start on the road to bringing her back. She knows he doesn't blame her and he is reminding her of the reason he and Prim need her to live. Because they love her and their lives would not be the same without her.

He continues:

"I asked Effie if she could contact the dressmaker to postpone the fitting for your dress" he says.

"My dress?" says Katniss, seeming a bit bewildered.

"Yes, your wedding dress" he replies.

Oh my God, thinks Katniss. The wedding! She hadn't thought about it in days and didn't want to think about it now. Peeta waits for her to respond.

"Katniss" he says.

She has turned away and doesn't answer him.

"It's OK, Katniss. We need you to get better first so that we can all look forward to the wedding" says Peeta.

Katniss desperately wants to tell him that's what she wants as well. The words refuse to pass her lips. Peeta kisses her. He tells her he is going to feed Prim and will be back soon. He misses her, even though she will hardly acknowledge him, and he won't leave her alone for too long.

Thankfully, Annie is due up in the next couple of days. He really hopes that seeing Annie will make a difference to Katniss. In the meantime he needs to catch up with Gale to find out about his trip to the Capitol. Maybe he has gleaned some information that will help with Katniss' recovery.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Friendship

Annie arrives in District 12 a couple of days later. Peeta is there to meet her when she gets off the train and the two of them walk silently back to the house. Katniss doesn't know that Annie is coming. Peeta hopes that will keep her from shutting down before Annie sees her. Prim is with Haymitch until they can gauge Katniss' reaction to Annie's visit.

When they get to the house, Peeta leaves Annie's bags downstairs and takes her hat. The summer sun is beating down on District 12 and Annie has to protect her fair skin from it's burning rays. She asks Peeta to wait downstairs while she goes up to see Katniss first.

The door to the bedroom is open and Annie sees Katniss lying on the bed. She appears to be asleep. Annie goes across to her and gently speaks:

"Katniss?"

Katniss is immediately alert and recognizes Annie's voice at once.

"Annie!" she says, sitting up in the bed.

"I came to see you. I heard you haven't been feeling very well".

Katniss knows this is Peeta's idea and a part of her wants to shout at him for invading her privacy again. At the same time, she knows Annie is their friend and so she says:

"I've stopped feeding Prim". Maybe another mother would understand.

"I know" says Annie sympathetically. "You've had a shock and it has affected you badly. Prim is still getting what she needs, Katniss. Peeta got some advice from the Apothecary". Katniss should have known that Peeta would make sure Prim was OK.

"I want to feed her, but I can't" says Katniss.

"That's OK, Katniss. Finn gets his milk from a bottle now, too".

Katniss thinks this is interesting and wonders why. She asks Annie.

"His teeth have started coming in and it was getting a little too uncomfortable for me to keep feeding him".

Prim doesn't have any teeth yet, but she will soon. Katniss knows this is not the reason she has stopped feeding Prim, but it makes her feel better to know that she is not the only one who is no longer breastfeeding her baby.

"Do you feel guilty?" Katniss asks.

"No" says Annie. "He is eating solids now so he doesn't need as much milk.

Prim is also eating solids, thinks Katniss, so maybe her not feeding Prim isn't the end of the world after all.

"Prim likes mashed up vegetables from the garden. We will have to give you some to take home for Finn. I grow them myself" says Katniss.

"That's wonderful, Katniss. The soil is too sandy in District 4 for us to grow vegetables well, so Finn gets lots of fish in his diet. He can't have the seaweed yet because it's too salty, but we get other food from the market for some variety".

"I sometimes hunt still to get meat and Prim likes turkey with gravy" says Katniss.

"Oh, that sounds good. Do you feel like getting up and showing me the vegetable garden? Maybe we can find something there to make with the dinner".

Katniss hesitates. She hasn't been in the garden for a few weeks and isn't sure it's been tended to while she has been sick. She decides, for Finn's sake, that it might be a good idea to check and see if there are some vegetables she can retrieve for Annie.

"OK" she says.

Annie waits for Katniss to get dressed and the two of them head down the stairs to visit the garden. Peeta has made himself scarce so that he doesn't interrupt Annie in her efforts to coax Katniss out of the room and down the stairs. He watches from a doorway where Katniss cannot see him, but Annie notices him on the way out and gives him a smile. Whatever she is doing seems to be working.

Peeta decides to go and check on Prim over at Haymitch's house. Haymitch is playing "peek a boo" with her and she is squealing with delight. It's good to see her so happy. Hopefully she is young enough that Katniss' absence at the moment will not affect her too much.

"Well, Haymitch" says Peeta.

"Peeta. Did you pick Annie up from the station OK?" he says.

"Yes. She has coaxed Katniss out to the garden for a little while so that is a good sign" says Peeta.

"Women get eachother in a way we men never will" says Haymitch. "For us, it's always damned if you do and damned if you don't. I'll never work them out!"

"I know what you mean" says Peeta. He can't understand why Katniss would respond to Annie and not to him. Well, he can in a way, but he wants to be the one reaching out to Katniss and drawing her back from the darkness.

"How long is Annie staying?" asks Haymitch.

"Probably a week or two for now. She has left Finn in District 4 so she can't stay away too long".

"Well, keep me up to date on how it's all going and you can leave Prim here any time. She's great company" Haymitch says with a smile. He gets another squeal out of Prim before Peeta takes her and brings her back to the house.

When he walks in, Annie and Katniss have returned from the garden and are sitting at the kitchen table. They have some vegetables in the centre and Katniss is helping Annie to peel them.

"What do you think about these for dinner, Peeta?" says Annie.

He has had to do all the cooking lately and thinks it will be nice to have a meal cooked for him again. It will probably taste better, too.

"They look delicious" he says.

"The garden has been weeded" says Katniss.

"Yes, I have been looking after it for you" Peeta says.

"Thank you" Katniss replies. He wonders if he sees a slight hint of a smile playing around her lips. She always loved it when he did things for her. He knew she loved his thoughtfulness. It was one of Peeta's trademarks and one of the many reasons Katniss had fallen in love with him. Peeta tries not to get too caught up in the moment and says:

"You're welcome". He gives her a smile and she feels that stirring again. The one she often feels when Peeta smiles at her. It has never changed. Prim is in Peeta's arms and Katniss decides to reach out for her. Prim clings a little more tightly to Peeta. She is unsure about her mother now, even though she is only a babe in arms. Katniss notices her hesitation and suddenly feels overwhelmed by sadness. She has done this to Prim.

Annie notices the exchange and suggests that Peeta make a bottle for Prim while she holds her. Prim is reluctant to go to Annie as well because she is a stranger. Annie hopes now Katniss will not feel so badly about Prim's rejection. It is happening to her as well. Peeta decides to sit Prim in her high chair and suggests Katniss give her a peeled carrot to suck on while he makes her bottle. Without teeth Katniss knows she can't bite it and take a chunk out of it. She washes the carrot and brings it to Prim. It is nice and cool on Prim's gums and she starts to chew down on it enthusiastically. Katniss is grateful that Prim has accepted the carrot and seems to be enjoying it.

After the bottle is ready, Annie suggests Peeta and Katniss take Prim up to the room with them and lie down with her while she takes her milk. She says she will fix the vegetables for the dinner so the family can have some time together. Katniss takes the bottle and Peeta lifts Prim from her chair. They head up the stairs and lie down on the bed, one on either side of Prim. Katniss still has the bottle in her hand and thinks about handing it to Peeta, but Prim turns to her mother expectantly and Katniss places the bottle in Prim's mouth. She begins to gulp down the milk and Katniss wishes it was her milk Prim was enjoying. Tears begin to fill her eyes.

"It's OK, Katniss. Prim is still getting what she needs and you are still giving it to her, just in a different way" he says.

Tears spill down her cheeks as Katniss begins to grieve for what she has lost, what Snow has robbed her of again. Peeta knows her tears are a good sign as it shows Katniss is now allowing herself to feel something. He takes the two of them in his arms and Katniss accepts the quiet and comforting strength of Peeta's arms around her. He gently wipes her tears away and, when Prim is finally finished her bottle, Peeta places her in her cot to sleep. He moves back to the bed and takes Katniss in his arms again, holding her close. She is turned away from him, but the turning back, Peeta hopes, will not be far away. He can sense her beginning to respond to the caring of others.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Interrogation

Gale has made contact with some of his Peacekeeping friends in the Capitol. There is an camaraderie between them that only brothers in arms can understand. He senses dissatisfaction among some in relation to how the Capitol is handling things at the moment. They can't quite put their finger on it, but the other Peacekeepers feel there is something they are not being told by the Leadership which has led to a lack of serious questioning of the Capitol rebels. Gale knows this is important information and wonders what the reasoning behind it could be. He asks one of his friends if he can facilitate a secret interrogation with one of the prisoners. It will be important Paylor doesn't become aware of what he is doing for now. It doesn't pay to get caught acting against the Government. His friend agrees and makes arrangements for Gale to come to the prison late at night when activity there is at a minimum. Gale knows things couldn't get any worse for Katniss so, if there are going to be consequences, he will be the one to pay the price.

Entering the prison in the early hours of the morning, Gale is led to a small room which has a table at its centre, a chair on one side facing a two-way mirror, and a chair on the other side for the interrogator. There is a man sitting in the chair facing the two way mirror. He is probably in 40's, not large, and with a smooth complexion. His hair is greying at the sides and he looks well groomed. His appearance has all the hallmarks of a pampered Capitol existence and bears no resemblance to Gale's idea of a hardened Capitol rebel. This is not what Gale had expected. The man has an official air about him and has been selected for interrogation according to his status among the prisoners. His hands are shackled and so are his feet. He is wearing a plain blue shirt and loose trousers in the same colour which is the regulation prison attire. He calmly waits for the interrogation to begin.

Gale wants him to talk so, when he enters the room, he treats the prisoner with respect. It is the respect of someone who knows exactly what it is like to take up a position of resistance to the enemy.

"My name is Gale Hawthorne and I am a friend of Katniss Everdeen. I have come to talk to you about what is happening to her at the moment".

The man is immediately disarmed. The interrogator is straight to the point, the prisoner thinks, and doesn't hide the fact he is friends with the traitor, Everdeen. Curious now, he waits for Gale to continue.

"There has been an incident which we have interpreted as a threat against Ms Everdeen. A white rose bush was discovered recently on top of her sister's grave. I would like to know your thoughts on this threat against her".

Gale knows people always want to tell their side of the story. He is giving the prisoner an opportunity to open up about the way the Rebels feel about Katniss and the level of threat involved.

"I don't know anything about the threat against Katniss Everdeen. I do know some of your Peacekeeper friends tried to have her killed though" he says.

Gale realizes that the prisoner is also skilled in the art of interrogation and he can't allow him to turn this around and make it about anything else except this latest incident. Gale needs to be on his guard against showing any reaction. Disarming again, he continues.

"That's true" Gale replies. "And they failed". Letting him know that it will not be so easy to bring down the Mockingjay.

"A cat only has nine lives, Mr Hawthorne, and Miss Everdeen must have run out of several by now" says the prisoner. "What with the Games, the Rebellion, her hijacked fiancé…"

"Perhaps" says Gale. "Although, so far she has survived and I'm sure she will again. You don't know her like I do".

The prisoner is curious. What is there to know about this girl that he doesn't already know? She is treacherous, sly, scheming and, above all, began a revolution which became the ruination of his future. He was going places in the Capitol until she came along. Katniss Everdeen's insolence and arrogance could not be overlooked, would not be overlooked. They should have killed her. They will kill her.

"You didn't know her well enough to know she was in love with somebody else" says the prisoner.

Gale is taken aback, but does not react. Who is this man?

"When you care about someone you want what is best for them. I can live with it" says Gale.

Hawthorne is not hiding anything, thinks the prisoner. He begins to feel some respect for Gale knowing he was a rebel once, too.

"Good for you. Well you won't have to live with it long, once we get our hands on your Mockingjay" he says. Gale has his first indication that the threat is real, but he needs more.

"What difference will it make if you kill her now?" says Gale. "The Revolution is over. There is no bringing Snow back or what you once had. He's dead and so is your Resistance".

Gale notices the prisoner looking away from him deceptively. He finds this odd. Something he just said has triggered a reaction in this man that he wasn't expecting. What was it?

"If we get our way there will be a return to the life we once had and the peace we enjoyed" says the prisoner.

"A peace you enjoyed at other people's expense!" says Gale. "The Capitol rode high on other people's misery and we are not going to let that happen again. People need their freedom, not just to survive, but to thrive. Sadly, freedom is something you will never experience again" Gale finishes.

The man knows, unless the Rebels win, he will not escape this place. But Paylor is making them comfortable and he knows why. There is something the government of the New Panem has not told the people. Something they refuse to admit even to themselves. If word ever got out there would be another revolution. "Oh, what a tangled web we weave…" thinks the prisoner.

Gale leaves the prison in the sure knowledge that there is something going on which the new government of Panem is deliberately hiding. Watching the prisoner's reaction to his questioning, the lack of any real effort on the part of Paylor's government to seriously interrogate these prisoners and the unease of other members of the Peacekeeping force means Gale smells a rat. It's a giant rat and he is going to smoke it out of its hole once and for all. Not just for Katniss' sake, but everyone's sake. It's time to set a trap.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Breakthrough

Peeta wakes up to find Katniss facing him. She is looking at him and searching his eyes, now that he has opened them.

They had eaten dinner with Annie last night after she had called them down for the meal. It was delicious and, though Katniss was not very talkative, they had enjoyed being in eachother's company and hearing all about Finn and his antics. Prim and Finn would make good friends, Peeta thought. He hoped they would all get to spend more time together in the future.

Peeta wondered if Annie would ever meet anybody else. She was still a young woman and he could see in her now what Finnick must have been able to see in her all along. She was a very caring person. That made her vulnerable and Annie was the type who could be easily hurt by the machinations of the Capitol. Finnick had seen through the damage the Capitol had done, having experienced it first hand himself. Perhaps it was the same with him and Katniss. They had shared an experience that was as terrible as it was life affirming for them. It had brought them together. Somehow, the two of them had created beauty from the ashes of the Games and the Rebellion. Peeta hopes Katniss will see that beauty again.

Katniss puts her hand on Peeta's face and smooths it over his stubble. He needs to shave. She moves closer to him, keeping her hand on his cheek. Peeta leans in and kisses her softly on the lips. He has missed Katniss' touch. She slowly moves her hand from his cheek and runs it down his arm, taking his hand in hers. Peeta is watching her. As she looks at him, Katniss places his hand on her breast and gently holds it there, allowing Peeta to caress her as they kiss again. Katniss wants to give herself to Peeta. She is saying it with her eyes, her lips, and soon with her whole body. It is what he has been waiting for… a breakthrough. A moment that tells him Katniss is ready. That she is ready to start feeling again, connecting again, loving again. Peeta responds to Katniss' overtures with an overwhelming sense of love and gratitude. He has missed her so much. The two become one, as stars split the skies, and Peeta knows everything is going to be alright.

When Prim finally wakens them again, they know it is time to start the day. They can hear Annie in the kitchen fixing some breakfast and Katniss is glad that she is making herself at home. Peeta and Katniss come down the stairs together with Prim and greet Annie who has a fresh pot of coffee waiting for them. It smells delicious. She is cooking some eggs and Peeta offers to run up to the bakery to get some fresh bread for them as well. Prim wants her bottle, so Katniss goes about preparing the formula after Peeta tells her what she needs to do. Annie can see that there has been a change in Katniss already and that she is much more responsive today. Peeta heads off to the bakery and Katniss gathers Prim from her high chair where she has been fussing, waiting for her milk. She doesn't resist Katniss' arms this time and it feels so good for Katniss to be holding her again. She cradles Prim in her arms and starts to feed her while softly singing the song she always used to sing for her sister, Prim.

When Peeta returns, Prim has been fed and is playing in her highchair. The eggs are ready and they sit down to eat. Annie asks Katniss and Peeta if they have any plans today.

"I really need to get back up to the bakery for a couple of hours to help with the backlog" he says.

Katniss knows he must have gotten very behind in his work while helping to care for her and Prim. She feels bad, but knows that Peeta will always put his family before his work. That's just who he is. Maybe she can start helping in the bakery, too, and it can become a family affair.

"What about you, Katniss?" asks Annie. "Is there anything you would like to do today?"

"I think it would be a good idea to get out in the fresh air and sunshine, for me and for Prim" says Katniss.

"I think so, too" says Annie. "We can take a walk together while Peeta is at the bakery".

"I can show you Prim's grave. Peeta made it so lovely with the flowers that Primrose is named after" Katniss says.

"Are you sure you are up to it?" Peeta asks with concern. Katniss is only beginning to recover from the experience of their last visit to Prim's grave. He doesn't want anything else to happen to her now. They still don't know who was behind the threat.

"I am not going to let anyone, or anything, stop me from going to visit my sister's grave" says Katniss.

The breakthrough was clear. Katniss wasn't just more present, but she was more purposeful , too. Something had been captured again that could have been lost forever. Grateful, Peeta kisses Katniss, telling her and Annie to be careful when they go out. He heads off to the bakery and promises to see them soon.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29: The Trap

Gale needs to know what the Capitol is hiding. It is not obvious, but by all accounts it is huge. In order to set his trap he needs to have another meeting with Paylor to discuss an idea that might just get the Capitol Rebels talking. Her reaction to his plan will help him determine just how much she knows and how much she might be hiding. It hurts Gale to think that the people he trusted could betray those who fought so hard to create the New Panem. It hurts him even more that they are willing to betray Katniss.

Paylor still has no idea that Gale has interrogated one of her prisoners. It might not be long before word gets back to her, but for now the prisoner is being kept in isolation so that should give him more time. He had thought he would be back in District 12 by now, but he knows that his first priority lies here, and with Katniss.

Gale enters the Presidential Palace and prepares to meet with Paylor. After waiting outside her office, he is eventually called in to see her.

"Gale. I thought you might have gone back to District 12 by now" she says.

"No, I decided to catch up with a few people while I was here and think I've come up with a plan which might just get the Capitol Rebels talking" he says.

Paylor looks surprised and a little annoyed. She has already informed Gale that they are doing everything they can in relation to what happened to Katniss. She hasn't asked for his input and is not going to let Gale tell her how to do her job.

"Gale, I have already told you that we are doing everything we can to find out who is behind the incident with the rose bush. Unfortunately, we are not making much headway at the moment". Gale knows this is because they are not really trying.

"This idea should boost your chances of getting these people talking" Gale says.

"What are you suggesting?" asks Paylor, sounding frustrated that Gale will not take "no" for an answer.

"Let's up the ante by informing the prisoners that the Government intends to establish another Games, but one using members of their families, as a way to generate a response".

Paylor looks shocked. He can't be seriously suggesting a repeat of the Games. She knows this was one of Alma Coin's tactics at the end of the Rebellion in order to avoid too much bloodshed. Gale is suggesting the idea for an entirely different reason. Coin had secured a majority vote of four in order to implement the barbarity again. In fact, Katniss Everdeen was one of the Victors to vote in favour. She has to tread carefully here. There was much more at stake than Gale realized.

"Gale, another Games is not an option. Part of the reason for the Rebellion was to finally bring an end to the Games. Regardless of who the protagonists might be, there is no way we are going to establish another Games just to secure information from the Rebels".

"Exactly how much do you want to get information from them?" asks Gale.

"Not enough to institute that barbarity again" she answers.

Gale did not expect her to agree. He knew she had not been serious about questioning the Rebels and, though her reasoning seems valid, there is more to her refusal than meets the eye.

"Is there something you are not telling me, President Paylor?" he asks.

For a moment she appears fearful, but then quickly regains her composure to answer him.

"No. There is nothing more you need to know or that I can say. Good day, Gale".

He has been dismissed and knows he will have to keep digging to get the answers he is looking for.

Katniss and Annie have organized themselves for their walk to Prim's grave. Katniss doesn't know why, but she decides she is going to bring her bow and arrows with her this time. If there is a threat, she will not be caught off guard the way she was the last time. Although, an arrow was not going to be effective against an invisible enemy. So as not to alarm Annie, Katniss tells her that she is thinking of walking a little further, into the woods, in case there is something she can catch, some game to bring home for the dinner. Annie accepts her explanation and agrees to take Prim in the sling for her. Katniss does not want Prim near her weapon. It is too dangerous.

They begin their walk and it is another beautiful summer's day. A good day for hunting, thinks Katniss. They talk about the wedding and the plans her and Peeta are making. Katniss tells Annie that Peeta won't reveal anything about the cake to her and she plans on surprising him with her wedding dress as well. Katniss knows that postponing the wedding was the only thing Peeta could do in the circumstances. She hopes they will be able to continue making their plans very soon.

As they approach Prim's grave, Katniss can see the dead flowers still lying beside it. Neither herself, nor Peeta, had been back since that fateful day. Thankfully, there is nothing more to see on top of the grave, and Katniss is greatly relieved. She didn't realize how she had been holding her breath until this moment. Annie can also see the damage that has been done to Prim's grave and realizes what a shock it must have been for Katniss to find the rose bush when she had come here nearly 3 weeks ago. The Capitol were still playing their games, but in a more selective and secretive way. That made it all the more terrifying. At least with the Games you knew what to expect. This was like guerrilla warfare. You never knew how, when, where these "attacks" would take place, but Katniss and Annie certainly knew why. No wonder Katniss had turned away from everyone she loved to try and protect them from Snow's vengeance, thinks Annie.

Thankfully, Katniss is making that connection again, much more rapidly than Annie had expected. It was Katniss' self loathing that had triggered her spiral into darkness. Snow had somehow made Katniss hold herself accountable for all the evil that he had engineered. The shock of the discovery had once again caused Katniss to believe she was the reason for the suffering of others. As a consequence, she had cut Peeta and Prim off which had created an even greater self hatred in Katniss. Beginning to make that connection with them again was the answer to Katniss facing her fears. It was her love for Peeta that had helped overcome Snow's evil before and Annie knew it would again. She was sure of it.

After sitting by the grave for a while and feeding Prim her bottle, Katniss asks Annie if she can wait with Prim while she walks into the woods to see if she can find any game. It is the first time she has been hunting in a while and she is entering the woods with renewed vigour. It's a much better day today.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Unsuspecting

The woods are alive with all kinds of creatures and Katniss knows the family will have their fill for dinner tonight. There are squirrels, rabbits, turkey and duck, all plentiful and not as fearful of her as they should be as Katniss makes her way through the trees. She decides rabbit would be nice for a stew and, after loading her bow, makes her first kill for the summer. It all comes so naturally, even though she hasn't hunted for a while. She retrieves her arrow and gather the rabbit up by the legs.

Her next target is a turkey. Prim loves turkey. The turkey makes an easy target due to the fact that it is a little slow moving and can't really get off the ground. It's quite heavy in her hands as she lifts it and Katniss thinks she should have left the turkey until last. But she wants one more prize before she heads back to Annie and Prim. Her last choice for dinner today is a squirrel. They are more of challenge to shoot and Katniss is a little out of practice so she might not get one on her first attempt. Looking up into the treeline, Katniss spies a decent sized squirrel gnawing on a nut. She stealthily takes aim and wonders if she can hit it in the eye the way she always used to. She remembers the complement Peeta's father had paid her and which Peeta had shared with everyone at the first Games.

As she prepares to take aim, Katniss hears the whizzing noise just before she instinctively drops to the ground. A searing pain grips her right shoulder and the breath is knocked out of her momentarily. She knows she has been hit and quickly rolls on her left side to try and come up to face her assailant. Katniss is unable to reload her bow. Her right arm has been rendered useless by what she now knows is an arrow buried deep in her shoulder. Gasping she scans the treeline. Suddenly, she sees him. A man with a bow walks directly towards her. He knows she can't move and Katniss thinks she will be easy pickings, just like her prey.

Breaking the silence of the moment, Katniss screams. "Run! Annie, Run!" As she shouts the man begins to run towards her. He thought she was alone. Katniss screams again "Run!", before he reaches her, grabbing her around the throat and placing a rag over her nose. The rag has a distinctive smell, a smell that is beginning to put Katniss to sleep. She manages to fight with what little strength she has left and force the rag away from her face

"You missed" she says groggily.

"No, I didn't" he says. "I was told not to kill you… yet".

Katniss loses consciousness.

Annie has heard the scream from the woods. It startled her, but she heard Katniss' instruction clearly. Run! Annie knows she needs to get help and Prim is her first priority. She can't protect herself. Annie gathers Prim up in her arms and runs as quickly as she can to the closest house which is Haymitch's.

"Haymitch! Haymitch!" she cries as she reaches the door.

Haymitch runs out to see Annie in a hysterical state holding baby Prim.

"Katniss…" Annie is having trouble catching her breath. "Katniss…she went into the woods to hunt and I heard her scream. She told me to run!" is all Annie can manage say before collapsing in tears.

Haymitch doesn't hesitate. He grabs the loaded shotgun he keeps in the parlour. which he rarely has any use for, and heads out the door to help Katniss. Haymitch tells Annie to wait in the house as he runs towards to woods.

Passing Prim's grave Haymitch can see where Annie has dropped the sling in her panic to get help. He cautiously begins to enter the woods and isn't sure what direction Katniss has taken. He will never understand what drives that girl to do the things she does. She knows her life is under threat, but goes into the woods on her own in spite of it. Haymitch knows that stubbornness may not have paid off this time. She has her bow and arrows, so he hopes Katniss has been able to put up a fight.

After travelling several metres into the forest, Haymitch can see something glinting in the sun. As he gets closer, his worst fears are confirmed. It is Katniss' bow and arrows and there is some game lying there, too. He sees blood on the ground and hopes it is just from the game. In truth, he knows it is Katniss' blood. She is hurt, if not dead already. The fact that she is nowhere in sight means that someone has probably taken her. Haymitch calls out her name and wanders further into the woods, hoping that he might get a reply. Katniss doesn't answer. For now, there is nothing left for Haymitch to do except return to the Village and raise the alarm. Peeta will be devastated.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Reaping

Gale has decided to enlist his Peacekeeping friend's help once again in setting the trap for the Capitol Rebels. He is going to override Paylor's refusal to test the prisoners resolve by having the Prison formally announce another Hunger Games. This should get them talking, even amongst themselves, and Gale will be listening in. He needs to know what is behind the deception of the Capitol and who is behind this latest threat to Katniss.

The prisoners are called into a general meeting and the guards are taking no chances. The prisoners have all been shackled so that when they react to the news of the Games they won't be able to cause any real damage to the guards or the prison. The prisoners know this is no ordinary meeting. They are not prepared for what they are told next.

"The new Government of Panem has made a decision which involves you and your families. As you refuse to provide information which will help to put an end to the current Rebellion, and continue to make threats against the population, we are putting you under notice. The government has decided to institute a new Games and the protagonist's in those Games will be your family members".

A huge uproar begins amongst the prisoners as the words of the Governor sink in. He continues.

"Their names will be placed in a jar, just like they were in the past for the Districts, with a selection of one male and one female family member over the age of 12 for each prisoner. There will be 24 Tributes, in keeping with the Capitol tradition, and you will be given the opportunity to visit with any family member who is chosen before the Games begin".

A shocked silence settles over the prisoners as they try to take in the news. This is not possible. The new government has too much to lose by implementing this new threat.

"Of course, anyone willing to talk with regard to Rebel plans and personnel will gain a reprieve for their family members in relation to the Games".

Immediately, the prisoners now begin to look at eachother with uncertainty and suspicion. They begin to wonder who is going to turn? Who is going to remain loyal to Snow and who is going to remain loyal to their family? It is an impossible choice, but one they are going to have to make.

"The reaping will occur within the next 24 hours, after we have gathered the names of all your immediate family members. If you have no immediate family, then extended family's names will be used for selection. And, there is one more thing. With regard to the odds of your family members being chosen," he pauses for effect "may they be ever in your favour".

The uproar amongst the prisoners begins again as the guards use batons to subdue them and herd them back into their cells.

Haymitch has returned from the woods to find Annie still in tears in the front room. She can't believe this is happening. How will they tell Peeta? Haymitch wants Annie to stay here with Prim while he goes first to the bakery and then to the barracks. He decides to call the Barracks before he leaves to tell them what has happened and they offer to meet him outside the bakery while he gives Peeta the news. Several Peacekeepers are sent immediately to interview Annie and to search the woods. Gale has still not returned and Haymitch knows he needs to try to find out what is going on in the Capitol.

There are two Peacekeepers to meet Haymitch outside the store. Peeta sees Haymitch through the window and notices the Peacekeepers standing with him. They are deep in discussion and he wonders what is going on. Haymitch decides they should go to the back of the shop to speak to Peeta there. He will need some privacy when the give him the news.

One of the bakery assistants working at the ovens tells Peeta he has some visitors and needs to come to the back of the shop. Peeta knows something is going on, so he heads to the back to find Haymitch and the two Peacekeepers standing there. He knows by the look on Haymitch's face it is serious and he also knows he doesn't want to hear what Haymitch is about to tell him.

"It's Katniss" says Haymitch.

The word "no" is screaming in Peeta's head as he tries to comprehend what Haymitch says next.

"I found her bow and arrows in the woods. I think she is hurt, but we can't find her. There's a good chance someone has taken her…" Haymitch trails off.

One of the Peacekeeper's continues:

"We have our men searching the area. They are talking to Ms Cresta now".

Oh my God, Prim! Was she OK?

"What about our daughter?" Peeta asks urgently.

Haymitch answers. "Prim is with Annie and they are both at my house. I am sorry, Peeta. I tried to find Katniss and all I could see were her bow and arrows. She had gone hunting for game in the woods".

Peeta is angry. He is angry at Katniss for putting her life at risk. He is angry at her for leaving Prim with Annie and going off on her own. He is angry at her for putting them all through this again. Then, he is angry at himself for not being there for Katniss. Angry that he is helpless once more. Katniss is hurt. She must be in pain, and frightened, too. Oh God… Katniss. Peeta finally dissolves into a thousand tiny pieces of grief and pain. These last few weeks have been overwhelming for him, for all of them. Haymitch holds him as he breaks down. He knows Peeta can't live without Katniss. Neither of them can live without the other. Haymitch decides to get in touch with Gale as soon as possible. Katniss won't survive long if the Capitol rebels have anything to do with it and Peeta won't survive without her.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Imprisonment

Katniss struggles to waken. Her head is swimming and she is in agony. The pain from the wound in her shoulder is radiating across her back and chest and pain is shooting down her arm. She is lying on her side and, as her eyes begin to focus, she sees she is facing a white wall with no markings. The bed underneath her is rough and the hessian material covering its surface is scratching her skin. Katniss touches her shoulder, which is tender, and feels swelling around the wound. It has not been covered and she is guessing they have not bothered to treat it. The pain is excrutiating.

There is nothing else in the small room except a chair next to her bed. The door has a small window and she eases herself of the bed to look through it. There is a long corridor outside her room, but no one in sight. She doesn't even bother to try and open the door. Katniss knows it is locked. She is feeling very woozy and shakily returns to the bed. A small window high above her allows in some light so she knows it is daytime. She just doesn't know what day. How long has she been here? She remembers being in the woods, the sudden, searing pain of the arrow and the man with the rag in his hand.

Suddenly she hears a key in the lock of the door and it opens. A man in a black uniform stands there and has some food on a tray for her. Katniss doesn't move. He puts the tray on the chair and goes to leave.

"Where am I?" Katniss asks in a rasping voice.

"In prison" he says.

"What prison?!" she demands to know.

"One that has been created especially for you".

"Why are you doing this?" Katniss asks

"There is someone who wants to see you. Someone who has been waiting a long time for this moment".

Katniss has no idea who that someone might be, but they obviously do not care about her condition. Neither does Katniss right now. She just wants to get out of here. She hopes Annie made it back to raise the alarm, and she hopes Prim and Peeta are OK. Peeta. Tears begin to fill her eyes as she realizes what she is putting him through again, and now Prim, too. What will he think of her? What will he do?

The man leaves the room without revealing anything else about the person who wants to meet her. She forgot to ask how long she had been there. There is tea and toast on the tray. Katniss is thirsty, probably due to the amount of blood she has lost, and knows she needs to drink the tea just to stay hydrated. She doesn't know what else it might contain, but has no choice and thinks the toast should be safe enough to eat. She helps herself to the meal her captors have prepared. She hopes she doesn't have to wait long until she meets this mysterious person who obviously wants her dead.

Gale has been in touch with Beetee and asked him to orchestrate a shutdown of the Capitol's communication systems temporarily. He wants the blackout to last until they can ascertain which of the prisoners might be willing to talk and ensure that he has control of communications. Katniss life might depend on it.

In the prison, the population of Capitol rebels are being gathered for the reaping of their family members. They have been kept isolated and, so far, have maintained their silence. Gale thinks they don't really believe the Government would go ahead with the reaping, so the charade of the Games must continue.

The Governor of the prison begins choosing the names.

After several minutes they have 18 Tributes, ranging in age from 12 to 17. The Governor proceeds to call the 19th Tribute's name.

"Rebecca Sully".

"No!" gasps one of the prisoners, stepping out of line.

The Governor places the name aside with the other Tributes and continues. Gale thinks this man might be their best chance of turning one of the rebels to their side. When the reaping is complete, Gale asks for the man to be taken aside and to the interrogation room. The rest of the prisoners accept the fate of their family members, for now. Gale enters the interrogation room with purpose.

"What is your name" he asks the man.

"Atticus Sully" the man replies.

"Is Rebecca Sully your daughter?"

"Yes", the prisoner replies.

"Do you want her to die?" asks Gale.

"No" he replies.

"Have you got something to tell me?" Gale wants to know.

The man doesn't hesitate. "Coriolanus Snow is still alive" he says.

Gale is shocked. How is that possible? Snow is dead. He was killed when Katniss killed Coin. Gale remembers him being charged by the rebels after Katniss had fired her arrow at Coin. It had been hard to see what had happened after that. There is no way he could have survived!

Katniss has fallen back to sleep, but is wakened when she hears the door being opened again. It is the same man who brought her food on the tray. He tells her to get ready. She is being brought to meet the person who has had her captured and imprisoned. Katniss finds it hard to get up off the bed. She is still shaky and is feeling warm and sick. The man comes across and grabs her roughly by her left arm to get her moving more quickly. Her right arm hangs loosely by her side. The swelling is now extending down her arm. Without ceremony the man marches her to a room where she is forced to take a seat. They don't bother to shackle her as she is not likely to put up much of a fight.

Suddenly, a door opens to Katniss' left. First shock, then horror registers on her face. Being wheeled through the door is none other than Coriolanus Snow. A dead man. Still, with a rose in his lapel.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Frantic

It has been 24 hours since Katniss went missing. Peeta is frantic. Annie has taken over the care of Prim while Peeta wanders the woods with Haymitch looking for any sign of her or the people who might have taken her. The Peacekeepers have already made a thorough search and, some distance from the area Katniss' bow and arrow were found, discovered a clearing just big enough to land a hovercraft. It is deep into the woods and in an area where people from District 12 normally did not venture. They were still too indoctrinated after Snow's term in power. There was no longer an electrified fence, just the barrier of fear Snow had implanted in their minds. Fear had been his great control mechanism, seasoned with just a touch of hope, to keep the people in line.

It seemed that whoever captured Katniss had help as they found a number of footprints more deeply embedded in the soft, damp soil of the woods. The depth of the prints indicated they may have been carrying something, or someone, to the area of the clearing. Katniss. Peeta had no idea where they could have taken her and what her condition might be. He couldn't eat or sleep, not knowing what was happening to her. Haymitch encourages Peeta to come back to the house.

"Peeta, you need to get some rest. It will not help Katniss if you fall apart now. She needs you to be there for Prim".

Peeta knows he has to try and hold things together, for when Katniss gets home. He can't imagine any other outcome.

"Maybe I will go back to the house and try to get some sleep. Did you get in touch with Gale, yet?" he asks wearily.

"No, communications are down in the Capitol and I haven't been able to contact him. I will keep trying, I promise" says Haymitch.

"Thank you" says Peeta. He knows Haymitch will do all he can to help them.

Annie is sitting in the house with Prim on her lap. She looks up at Peeta when he comes in and asks:

"Any word?"

"No" Peeta replies. "Haymitch said communications are down in the Capitol, so he can't get in contact with Gale right now. If he has any information we will have to wait".

"I'm sure he will be in touch if he hears anything" says Annie.

"Yes" says Peeta. "Annie, I am going to lie down for a while if that's OK with you. I know you've had Prim a lot in the last couple of days and I really appreciate you helping out".

"That's OK, Peeta. It's the least I can do" Annie says. "I feel so responsible for what happened. I should have gone into the woods with her, or looked for her when I heard her cries". Annie eyes fill with tears.

"Annie, you and I both know Katniss well enough to realize that she knew exactly what she was doing…when she went into the woods, when she told you to run. If you hadn't run, maybe you and Prim wouldn't be here either". Peeta didn't want to imagine this worst case scenario. "Katniss is a survivor and she will survive this, too. We have to believe that".

Annie gets up and gives Peeta a big hug. They both need one right now. He thanks her again and heads up the stairs to get some rest.

Gale has refused to allow his prisoner any respite since the revelation about Snow. He wants to know how this could have happened.

"How on earth could Snow have survived that onslaught of Capitol rebels after Coin was killed?!" he demands.

"We had plenty of time to plan our move. Katniss Everdeen was recovering in the hospital after Coin over ran the Capitol so her insistence on "ending" Snow actually helped us gain more time to prepare. We placed some of our people, dressed to look like rebels, at the front of the crowd. With the rush forward, after Everdeen killed Coin, we managed to knock Snow out and convince people he was dead. We dragged him away on the pretense that Paylor would want to see his body".

"Paylor never saw his body" says Gale to himself more than to the man sitting in front of him.

"No. She didn't. She couldn't admit that to anyone either. Only the top tier of the Government know that Snow's body was never found. That didn't prove he wasn't dead, but Paylor could not take a chance on word getting out. It would only strengthen the Resistance".

"Why have the Resistance kept it a secret?" Gale asks.

"Snow's plan was always to kill the Mockingjay. He is single minded about it now. She is the reason for his demise. He knows it is too late to reverse the Revolution and a Capitol rebellion could be years in the making. He doesn't have that much time. He has promised all he has to the Resistance in order for them to keep fighting long after he is gone, but it's the Mockingjay he wants, Katniss Everdeen. He ordered us to maintain his secret so that he could achieve what he sees as his only purpose in life now. To destroy her".

Gale knows the deviousness of Snow and, after hearing the explanation, finds it believable. Snow had targeted Katniss time and again, with impunity, and it is not surprising to hear that killing her is the sole mission and purpose of his now useless, wasted and evil life. Paylor has allowed this to happen and refuses to "poke the bear" of the Capitol Resistance in case they reveal their secret. Well, it was out now and Gale knew exactly what he had to do.

"Where is his hideout?" asks Gale.

"Do you promise not to touch a hair on my daughter's head?" the man asks.

"I promise" says Gale. Little did the man know there was never going to be another Games and his daughter had never been in danger. Still, the ploy had worked and now Gale was going to put an end to Snow once and for all.

"There is a place, a bunker, Snow had created many years ago. He always expected another Rebellion, he just didn't know when it might happen. So he prepared a hideout, a place he could retreat to and a headquarters for the Resistance. Only a select few people actually know where it is".

"Draw me a map. We are going to pay Coriolanus Snow a little visit and you are coming with us" Gale says.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Confrontation

Katniss feels sick. The evil in the room is palpable as Snow wheels himself in the rest of the way.

"Miss Everdeen" he states. "What a pleasure to see you". He coughs into a handkerchief stained with blood.

Katniss is frozen. Is she seeing a ghost? Was there somthing in the tea causing her to hallucinate? Was she delirious?

"I can see you weren't expecting to see me, Miss Everdeen" he says.

Katniss hesitantly responds. "No. No, I wasn't. I thought you were dead, like that other dictator, Alma Coin. The one who killed my sister".

"You should have fired your arrow at me first, Miss Everdeen. You had the chance and it would have been so easy".

"You were dead anyway, or you will be soon. I see you are still choking on your own blood" says Katniss.

"Be that as it may, I am here and so are you. Both of us survivors, Miss Everdeen".

"Why did you bring me here?" Katniss asks.

"I intend to do what I should have done, what the Gamemakers should have done, a long time ago. I am going to destroy you Miss Everdeen. Make no mistake, it will happen this time. No one knows where you are, although I'm sure a few people care. Your fiancé, perhaps? What about your baby daughter. So sweet that you named her after your sister. So very sentimental" Snow says.

Katniss roars. "You son of a bitch!". She wants to jump across the table and kill him with her bare hands. He has caused them so much pain and he has no intention of stopping. As Katniss leaps out of her chair, she suddenly feels faint. The pain from her arm is wracking her whole body. Katniss cries out and collapses on the floor in front of him.

"Taker her away" says Snow. "There'll be plenty of time to deal with her tomorrow".

Katniss knows he is like a cat playing with a mouse. Right now, he has all the power and has stunned her out of resistance. The guard takes her back to her cell, half walking and half dragging her as she struggles to maintain consciousness. He throws her back on the bed, allowing her injured shoulder to hit the bed first. Katniss cries out in pain again and tears fill her eyes. How is she going to escape?

Gale has organized a number of Peacekeepers to travel with him to the site of Snow's bunker. They are going under cover of nightfall and he arranges for the prisoner to be brought to the take off site. This man might have insight into the layout and Snow's reactionary force when they get there. Before they leave, Gale decides to contact Peeta and Katniss to tell them about Snow and his hideout. They need to know it is being dealt with once and for all.

Peeta answers the phone and hears Gale's voice.

"Peeta".

In a rush of words, Peeta tells him.

"Gale, we have been trying to get in touch with you. Katniss has been taken and we think it might be Capitol rebels who are behind it".

"What are you talking about, Peeta?!" says Gale.

"She went into the woods by Prim's grave the other day to hunt when I was at the bakery. Annie was with her, but stayed by the grave to mind Prim. Annie said she heard Katniss shout "Run!" and so she ran straight to Haymitch's house with Prim. Haymitch notified the Peacekeepers and they came and told me. Katniss is hurt Gale. We don't know what happened, just that they carried her out of there and we don't know where they have taken her".

Gale could hear the fear in Peeta's voice. He understood.

"Peeta, we have got new information, information you will not believe, but you have to trust me. I think I know where Katniss is. We are going there now. I am going to bring her back for you, I promise".

The relief Peeta felt was immense. If Gale had information that could lead to Katniss, there was a good chance she would be safe. That was all he wanted for now, to know that she was safe.

"Gale, I wish there was something I could do…"

Gale cuts him off.

"Peeta, if there was something you could do, I know you would have done it already. This is something I have to do not just for Katniss, but for all the citizens of Panem. You will understand when I explain it to you after we rescue her".

Peeta knew Gale had to go. They both loved Katniss and both of them had been involved in helping her to survive. He was grateful that somebody else loved her enough to want to try and bring her home.

The phone cuts out and Peeta knows Gale is on his way to find Katniss. He takes baby Prim in his arms and holds her close. She is so much like her mother. Peeta decides he needs to stay by the phone in case Gale tries to call back. It is going to be a long night, and he is wishing his strength on both of them, in the hope they will return home safely tomorrow.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Rescue

The hovercraft lands some distance from the Bunker. Gale wants to make sure that they don't give Snow and his force any warning of their arrival. It is dark and they use night vision goggles to work their way through the trees and get closer to Snow's hideout. It is only partially above ground so any lighting is minimal.

As they move in closer, Gale can see men stationed outside. They will need to be quiet if they are to escape detection prior to accessing the building. Gale points his men to the various posts and they stealthily work their way around the exterior in order to surprise the guards. It helps that the guards have no idea their hideout has been revealed, which means Snow's men are overpowered quickly. They take the access keys to enter the building and, wasting no time, begin to check the corridors looking for both Snow and Katniss. If it was just a matter of killing Snow, they could quickly blow the place to pieces and him with it. But, Katniss rescue is their first priority. Gale is reminded of Peeta's rescue from the Tribute Centre. That was too easy, and they found out too late why. Gale hopes Katniss is still alive and that Snow has not been using the same tactics on her that he used on Peeta.

The corridors are strangely empty as they make their way through. Snow's men are definitely not expecting them. Eventually, they come across an area with heavy single steel doors and Gale knows, if they are keeping Katniss somewhere, it will be here. These are cells and can only be opened from the outside with a key. As they walk along the wall, they check each cell and find most of them empty. As they get to the last one, they see a single white rose set into the keyhole. Gale knows this is the one.

Finding the keys, Gale prepares to open the door. Suddenly, there is a shout from behind. Rapid gunfire ensues and one of the Peacekeepers falls dead at Gale's feet. Gale lifts his weapon to fire back. A bullet catches him the shoulder, but his rage at the sight of that rose has fuelled him, and he quickly takes out the guard who has killed one of his men. Before finding the key again, he grabs the rose and crushes it under his foot. He unlocks the door to find Katniss lying on the bed, muttering to herself. He goes over to her and can feel the heat emanating from her body. She has a fever and Gale knows she needs medical attention urgently. There is an angry wound on her shoulder which isn't covered. It is red and swollen, full of pus. They need to get her out of here.

Gale ignores his injured arm and lifts Katniss from the bed. She opens her eyes which are feverish and looks at him.

"Gale?" she says.

"Yes" he replies. "Katniss we are getting you out of here. I am bringing you home".

"Oh, Gale" she sighs and immediately loses consciousness.

While the rest of the men keep watch during their retreat, Gale carries Katniss to the hovercraft and loads her onto a bed. They have brought a medic who attends to her immediately. Gale knows they haven't finished what they set out to do when they came here, so he and some of the men return to find Snow. At this stage, their cover has been blown. They have disturbed the hornet's nest, and more men are being wakened to come to Snow's aid. Gale has to make a decision. Does he risk more men in a firefight, which could mean none of them get out alive, including Katniss, or does he ensure everyone's safety by getting them out of here now? In the end, he decides that he might not have enough men to face Snow's rebel force. It would be a suicide mission, and they still need to get Katniss to safety. He orders his men back to the hovercraft and they take off before Snow's men have time to stop them.

The trip back to the Capitol is short and Katniss is rushed straight to the hospital when they arrive. Setting her up with monitors and drips they work to defeat the infection which is now wracking her body. It is not long before Gale calls Peeta again. His wound still needs to be tended to, but he knows Peeta is waiting.

"Peeta".

"Gale" cries Peeta.

"We have her. She is in the hospital in the Capitol. Katniss was injured, and her wound is infected, so they need to treat her here for a few days".

Peeta thanks Gale profusely. He tells him he will be on the train first thing in the morning with Prim.

Gale decides to go back to check on Katniss before being treated himself. She is lying more comfortably now, but still muttering in her semi-conscious state. Suddenly, she becomes agitated.

"Peeta" she is saying. "The baby!" Katniss clutches her belly. Then she cries out. "Please, don't let Snow hurt him". Her face contorts with fear and rage. "No, No!" she cries. "Peeta!". A nurse comes across to the bed and injects her in the arm with something to calm her down.

She calls out for Peeta again. "Stay with me…" whimpers Katniss before she drifts off into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Gale isn't sure if Katniss was having a nightmare, if it was the drugs or the fever. Whatever it was, she had been calling out to Peeta in her dreams.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Reunion

Peeta arranges to catch the first train in the morning with Prim and Annie. Annie is going to head back to District 4, but with a promise that if Peeta and Katniss need anything at all they will call her. Meeting them at the station in District 4 will be Katniss' mother. She will travel to the Capitol with Peeta so she can be with Katniss, too, and help mind baby Prim.

The journey is uneventful and Prim sleeps for a good bit of it. The motion of the train relaxes her and Peeta holds her gently in his arms while he and Annie talk about her reunion with baby Finn. She has missed him and, after everything that has happened to Katniss, knows how precious her time with Finn is. When the train pulls into District 4, Peeta gives Annie a big hug and she takes Prim to give her a special farewell hug before saying goodbye. Katniss' mother is also waiting on the platform and holds Peeta and Prim tight when she greets them. She can only imagine what they have all been through.

It is still four hours until they reach the Capitol, so Peeta rests for now. Katniss' mother takes charge of Prim and they play games to help pass the time. Prim is so much like Katniss, she thinks. Her smile, her laugh, her beautiful black hair. When it is long enough she will braid it, just like she did for Katniss when she was a little girl. Prim's eyes are a reflection of Peeta and she sees the warmth in them. Prim is a good natured little girl. Only time will tell if she has acquired any of Katniss fiery nature.

Peeta's sleep is restless and filled with dreams of the past. Some of them good and some of them bad. He is unsure how he will approach Katniss when he sees her. Part of him is still angry with her for wandering off, but he knows he can't stay cross with her. He has never been able to in the past.

The train finally arrives at the Capitol station and there is a Peacekeeper there to meet them. He will be their transport to the hospital. Gale has arranged everything for their arrival. It is only a short drive and when they get there, Prim is getting restless. She is out of her routine and is hungry and tired as well. Katniss' mother offers to take her to their accommodation, which Gale has also organized. There is an apartment for them to stay in during the time it takes for Katniss to recover. The Peacekeeper offers to take Prim and her grandmother there after dropping Peeta at the hospital.

Peeta heads straight to the ward where Katniss is recuperating. She is in isolation, due to her infection, and when he gets to the room he sees Gale sitting by her bed. Gale's arm is in a sling and Peeta realizes that Gale must have been hurt, too. Peeta knocks on the door and Gale looks up. He sees Peeta and immediately goes to open the door.

"Peeta!" says Gale.

Peeta gives him a big hug and thanks him again for rescuing Katniss. Gale tells him that he is happy he found her in time and decides he will relate the whole story after Peeta has had a chance to spend some time with Katniss. Peeta asks him about his arm.

"Looks like you didn't get away unscathed" he says.

"It's fine. The bullet just grazed me. Unfortunately one of my men wasn't so lucky".

Peeta is sorry to hear this. He knows Katniss will be, too.

"How is she?" asks Peeta.

"After they captured her, they didn't treat her wound and it has festered. She has a nasty infection which they are trying to treat, but she is still feverish and sometimes delirious. Just be prepared. She is saying a lot of things that don't make sense" says Gale.

Peeta is worried now. If Katniss is delirious, that means her condition is worse than he first thought.

"Thanks for staying with her, Gale. I'm sure you could use some rest now, too".

"I will see you tomorrow, Peeta" Gale says as he leaves the room.

Peeta goes over to Katniss. She is silent and still in the bed right now. Lying on her left side, he can see the bandages covering the wound on her right shoulder. She has a drip in her arm and also has a heart monitor attached. It is beating steadily at the moment. Peeta leans over and kisses her on the cheek. He brushes the hair away from her face and feels her forehead. She is still very warm and Peeta just hopes the medication is working. He pulls a chair close and sits beside her, placing his hand over hers. Suddenly, Katniss begins to whimper.

"Peeta?" she says, still with her eyes closed and in a semi-conscious state.

"I'm here, Katniss" he says.

"Peeta!" she calls again. The heart monitor begins to quicken.

"Katniss…" he manages to say before she becomes more agitated.

"Don't let him hurt our baby. Please, Peeta".

Peeta wonders what she is talking about. The monitor is racing now.

"Prim is OK, Katniss. I promise. She is with your mother and I will bring her to see you tomorrow".

"No, NO!" says Katniss. "Don't let Snow hurt our baby!" Her eyes fly open. They are wild and lock on Peeta's. She is not making any sense.

Katniss grips her belly as if to tell Peeta what she means.

"Don't let Snow hurt him" she begs as tears squeeze themselves out of her eyes.

"Katniss…" An alarm begins to go off on the monitor.

"Please, Peeta" she cries as she grips his hand.

A nurse quickly attends to Katniss and injects her with something to calm her down. Peeta knows Gale has told him that Katniss is delirious and she doesn't know what she is saying. As the injection starts to take effect, he decides the best way to comfort her is to climb onto the bed and gently hold her, as best he can, without hurting her wounded arm. It usually works when she has her nightmares and he hopes it will work now. Katniss is still gripping his hand as he lays down beside her, but she is only whimpering now. With a final movement she takes his hand and places it on her belly, before finally falling asleep again.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Outcome

For the next four days the medical staff keep Katniss under sedation. They have decided her body can't take the episodes of delirium she is experiencing and she needs her rest to fully recover. As it stands, the strong antibiotic medications seems to be working, with her system responding and the infection finally coming under control. The wound on her shoulder is much less angry and beginning to heal.

Peeta and Katniss' mother have been taking it in turns to stay with her and mind baby Prim. They have not brought Prim in yet. They will wait until Katniss is further along in her recovery and can actually respond when she sees Prim.

Gale has been arrested and is now under guard in the Capitol, along with the other Peacekeepers who accompanied him on his mission. Paylor is waiting to interrogate him. Now that Gale knows the Capitol's dirty little secret, she needs to work out how she is going to broach the subject with him. That will not be easy, with Katniss in the hospital fighting for her life and Snow still undetected. At least the government have confirmation that Snow is still alive, but they need to do something about it. It will not remain a secret for long.

They are finally going to bring Katniss out from under the sedation and see how she responds. Katniss' mother has returned to the apartment and is going to take care of Prim for a while so Peeta can go and be with her. As he walks towards her room, Peeta wonders about Katniss' reaction to her fever. Peeta had been shocked when Gale explained to him that Snow had not been killed in the aftermath of Coin's demise, and that he had been the one holding Katniss captive. He couldn't imagine Katniss reaction to seeing Snow again and how horrified she must have been. Now they had to live with the knowledge that he was still out there, somewhere, waiting to make his next move. Katniss had been adamant that Snow was going to try and kill their baby. What baby? He felt certain that she wasn't talking about Prim.

The medical staff are at Katniss' bedside when Peeta arrives. He sits beside her on the bed, willing her to wake up calm and lucid. Katniss is still attached to the heart monitor and drip, but looks peaceful in her sleep. Peeta takes her hand. It could be a few minutes before she begins to surface from her sleep, so he just looks at her and loves her.

Peeta loves Katniss with his eyes. He loves her beautiful thick, black hair, falling around her shoulders. The curve of her neck, as he brushes her hair back from her face. Her smooth, feminine skin and soft features. He loves her full lips which he kisses gently now. Peeta strokes her face while he waits. He loves Katniss with his memories, thinking of all the moments they have had building up to this moment. Moments where neither of them was willing to give up on the other, the two of them protecting eachother and keeping eachother alive. Finally, Peeta loves Katniss with his whole heart. The heart that has been broken so many times, but always pieced back together again with the love the two of them share.

Katniss eyes begin to flicker open. She is starting to wake up. He holds her hand tightly as she begins to focus on the room and the people standing around her. Where is she? She feels the grip of someone's hand and sees the drip in her arm. Finally, she sees Peeta sitting alongside her on the bed.

"Oh, Peeta!" Without hesitation she puts her arms out to him and he takes her in a gentle hug.

"I am so sorry" Katniss whispers in his ear. Tears fill her eyes. A sense of relief floods her whole body as Peeta holds her and Katniss feels the comfort she always feels when Peeta's arms are around her. To think she may never have felt the strength and comfort of those arms again. the reassurance they provided and the surety that she was not alone.

"It's alright, Katniss. I know. Gale told me everything. It's not your fault. How were you to know he was still alive?"

Katniss just keeps holding him tightly and Peeta doesn't let her go. The only thing either of them want to feel right now is the arms of the other around them. Katniss pulls back slightly to look at him and then kisses him on the lips. It is a lingering kiss and one that Peeta returns with vigour. But this is not the time or place.

"How long have I been here?" Katniss asks.

"Five days now", says Peeta.

"Five days?!". Katniss is shocked. She knew her wound was bad, but didn't think it had affected her to the point of needing a five day stay in a Capitol hospital.

"Your wound became infected, then you became very feverish and you were delirious" says Peeta. "The doctors had to sedate you so that you could recover properly from the infection".

"Oh" says Katniss. "I was hallucinating?"

"You kept calling for me and telling me not to let Snow hurt our baby".

"Our baby? I must have been talking about Prim".

"I guess so, but when I told you she was safe and your mother was looking after her, you kept shouting "no" and saying "don't let Snow hurt him" Peeta tells her.

Katniss cannot remember any of this and is as surprised as Peeta at her delirious behaviour. Why would she be calling out to Peeta about a baby? A baby that doesn't exist. She apologizes to Peeta again. She obviously didn't know what she was saying.

"It's fine, Katniss. As long as you are feeling better now. We didn't want to bring Prim in until you were awake, so maybe we can bring her in this afternoon for a visit".

Poor Prim. She had been through so much now, too, and Katniss had not been there for her once again. Peeta sees Katniss becoming emotional and takes her closer in his arms to comfort her. He tells her it will be OK. Prim is fine and will be excited to see her later. They have both missed her and now it was time to celebrate having her back safe and sound. Nothing else matters.

"Gale!" Katniss suddenly remembers. What has happened to Gale?

"The Capitol has had him arrested, Katniss. He deliberately went against their orders and now it seems he will have to face the consequences". They both know this is wrong. He has saved Katniss' life and exposed the fact that President Snow is still alive. Surely he has done everyone a favour.

"But, he has done us all a favour" says Katniss.

"Unfortunately, the Capitol don't see it that way, Katniss. He is a soldier, a Peacekeeper and bound to obey any orders they give him. The government won't brook dissent, so we don't know what the outcome will be".

Katniss can't stand it. She sees the injustice of the Capitol's response to Gale's valiant rescue attempt and tells Peeta they need to talk to Paylor.

"Katniss, right now you are in no shape to do anything. I am keeping in touch with people who can update us on Gale's situation and will see if there is anything we can do".

"But…"

Peeta cuts her off.

"Gale knew what he was doing when he came to rescue you, Katniss. He knew the risk he was taking and I don't think he would have had it any other way. We don't want to do anything that could make this worse for him" says Peeta.

"OK" says Katniss. She is beginning to feel tired and dizzy so Peeta helps her to lay back down on the bed so she can rest. Katniss won't let go of his hand and holds it tightly as she asks Peeta to climb on the bed and lay beside her. Peeta just wants her to get better and bring her home. There is too much at stake if she does not make a full recovery.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Rise Up

After a further two weeks of recovery, Katniss is finally allowed out of the hospital. The doctors are pleased with the progress she has made and think she is well enough to go home. Peeta is relieved. He wants to get Katniss home as soon as possible. It had been touch and go for a few days, so the fact that she is almost back to full health gives him reason to hope there will be no lasting effects from her experience. Katniss still has some pain in her shoulder and is weak from her ordeal.

Baby Prim had been happy to see Katniss when they finally brought her to the hospital. She put her arms out for Katniss as soon as she saw her and called "Mama". Katniss had been overwhelmed when Prim called her "Mama" for the first time. Peeta hugged them both and, when Prim saw their tears and then their laughter, she went between them both repeating "Dada", "Mama", in her singsong baby voice. They delighted in her and Katniss could see how Prim was growing up before her very eyes. Starting to talk, she had been crawling already and before they know it Prim will be up on her feet and leading them a merry chase. There was so much to look forward to when they got home.

Paylor's interrogation of Gale had ended. It was more of an offering than an interrogation. She had prepared her position before seeing him, but Gale had a way of challenging the status quo that would never sit comfortably with those in charge. He was a man of integrity and it was hard to deny the truth of what he was saying.

"Gale, you know you have acted in opposition to the Government and there needs to be consequences for that" she tells him.

"There would have been no need for my actions if you had been honest with the people in the first place. Katniss nearly died again thanks to the inaction of the Capitol and Snow is still out there, planning his next move" says Gale.

"We didn't know if he was still alive. How could we? With no body, it was impossible to tell what had happened to him" Paylor says.

"That's no excuse for not doing everything you could to find out what happened to him!" reacts Gale angrily. "Especially when people's lives are at risk".

"What do you think would have happened if people had found out Snow might not be dead. Do you think there would have been any moving forward with our New Panem? Do you think anyone would have taken the government seriously? Alma Coin was dead, thanks to the Mockingjay, and we were left to pick up the pieces. The people would have been very unforgiving if they thought this Government was not in control" she tells him.

"The fact is it could not be hidden forever. Sooner or later someone was going to find out that the Government had been deceiving them. They are still going to react".

"Well, we need to make sure that doesn't happen, Gale" says Paylor. He knows what is coming next. She is going to ask him to keep their secret. Their dirty little secret that almost killed Katniss.

"What are you suggesting?" he asks.

"I am suggesting that now we know Snow is still alive, we have a better chance of tracking him down. We have information that we didn't have before".

"Information which I got because you were not willing to poke the bear of the Capitol resistance".

"Be that as it may, we can now begin to plan more strategically how we can bring this whole thing to an end".

"How do you propose to do that?" Gale asks.

"That will require further discussion and we will include you in that discussion as well. So far, there are very few people who know about your encounter with Snow and that's the way we want to keep it. With you on board we will devise a plan which we hope will smoke him out again, only this time he won't get away. But it has to be kept top secret".

Gale doesn't like this. It smacks too much of what the Capitol has already been doing. Keeping things under wraps, not informing people, hiding their deceit.

"I am not going to keep quiet about this" he says. "People need to know what is going on".

"We will inform the people that need to know. That would include Katniss and Peeta. We will make sure they receive regular updates and we will also ensure extra forces are sent to District 12 for their safety".

This had been done before and Gale wasn't sure it would make any difference.

"I need to know they will be safe and I need to be part of the force that captures Snow" Gale says.

"You have my word on both those things" Paylor agrees. "For now, we want you to go back to District 12 until things settle down and you recover from your injury. We need you to be fit for this assignment and we need to work out what our strategy might be. We will call you back once we have determined that word has not gotten out about your discovery. If that happens, there could be a different outcome to my decision today".

That is a threat, Gale decides. He lets it go, if it means Paylor is going to free him and allow him to go back to District 12 for now. He wants to make sure Katniss will be OK and that the promised reinforcements will accompany the family back home.

Katniss and Peeta are delighted when they hear that Gale has been let out of prison and allowed to leave the Capitol to return to District 12 with them. They both know there is more to his release than anyone is saying right now, but they trust Gale and are sure he has his reasons for keeping Snow's reappearance under wraps. It is something they will be able to talk about on their return, without prying eyes to watch them and listening devices planted all around. Was there ever going to be a government that wasn't afraid of its people and their potential to rise up? Katniss didn't know. What she did know was that this needed to be brought to an end once and for all and she would take pleasure in getting the opportunity to kill Snow, again.

 **Authors note: Theme song for the end of this book in the series: Rise up – Andra Day.**

If people would like me to continue the series, I would appreciate your feedback. This is the end of the 3rd book in the series and I am enjoying writing the stories, in fact I would find it hard to stop! If you are interested in continuing Peeta and Katniss' journey with me let me know. Thanks :)


	39. Chapter 39

**Authors note: Fourth book in the series: Purpose meets Poisin. Enjoy :)**

Chapter 39: Return

Katniss, Peeta and Prim are making their way back to District 12 by train. Katniss has insisted. She does not want any special treatment by the Capitol and refuses to accept their offer of safe return in a military vehicle. She no longer trusts them and Peeta has agreed. They would travel by train with Prim, while Gale would make his way back with several other Peacekeepers in the Capitol's military vehicles. Of course, Gale has orchestrated a number of undercover Peacekeepers to be stationed on the train as well, just to be on the safe side. He knows Katniss would not accept any kind of direct offer from the Capitol, but he can work around that.

Fortunately, the train ride is uneventful as both Katniss and Peeta are very tired. Prim seems to enjoy the trip and is fascinated by the scenery as it flashes by the windows on their way home. She points out all the strange and exciting things she sees and babbles about them to Peeta and Katniss. They take it in turns to tell her about what she is seeing and memories of past train rides come flooding back. Katniss thinks of that first train ride and the sense of shock that had pervaded her senses at the initial experience of the Capitol lifestyle. She thinks about how the exuberance of the Games had contrasted so completely with her own feeling of desperation at the time. Peeta thinks of the return trips. How desperately he had wanted Katniss to recognize him in a different way when they had returned to District 12 after the first Games, and how his heartache had increased after the pressures of the Victory Tour. It didn't seem to matter what he did at the time, Katniss had continued to hold herself aloof in some way. It had taken a lot of soul searching for both of them to realize what they meant to each other. Or, at least, for Katniss to admit it.

When the train finally pulls into District 12, Haymitch is there to greet them and gives them all a big hug. He saves the biggest hug for Prim, who squeals with delight when he takes her from Katniss. Haymitch has missed his little treasure and can't wait to spend some more time with her now that the family are home. He can see Katniss still looks very pale and offers to help Peeta with the bags as he hands Prim back to Katniss. They make their way to the village as the sun begins to set. The days will be getting shorter soon as the summer is nearly over.

Katniss is reminded that this was the time when their wedding was supposed to take place. The end of the summer. She is too tired to be sad about that right now, exhausted from what has just occurred, and Katniss is really just grateful to be alive…in this place, with Prim and Peeta again. The two of them could talk about the wedding after they had settled back into their home and gotten Prim back into her routine. She hoped that wouldn't be too long. They needed to get on with their future.

Arriving at the house, Katniss organizes to feed Prim before putting her to bed and Peeta takes the bags to their rooms after wishing Haymitch goodnight at the door. They need to be alone tonight. Peeta senses that Katniss has become lost in thought, as he has, too. There is a lot that the two of them need to digest, including the continuing threat against Katniss. He wonders how she is feeling and asks her after they finally get Prim to bed.

"Fine" says Katniss. "Tired. A little bit sick, too".

"Are you sure you are OK?" Peeta says.

"Yes. I just need to rest. It was a long trip".

Peeta understands. Katniss does not want to talk about what is on her mind right now. It will only delay sleep which they both need. He takes her hand and insists she leave the cups until the morning. When they get to the bedroom, Peeta takes Katniss in his arms. He wants to hold her close and reassure her. He is not going to let anything happen to her again.

Brushing her hair back with one hand, he pulls her closer with the other. They press against eachother and feel the warmth of one another's bodies. Peeta kisses Katniss and begins to undress her. He has to be careful as he pushes the shirt back from her shoulder. He knows it is still tender. Katniss lets Peeta prepare her for this moment, a moment for which she has been longing since seeing him again, sitting on her hospital bed. He had been very conscious of her injury and his main concern had been for her to get well again. Peeta had not thought about himself at all and Katniss loved that about him. Now, she was preparing to think about him. Giving herself to him had always been her greatest pleasure. It had been that way since the day Peeta asked "You love me, real or not real?" It was real, and Katniss prepared to show Peeta that again tonight, giving herself without reserve to the one person she knew would never let her down.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Trepidation

Six weeks after their return, Katniss decides to pay a visit to the doctor. She is recovering well from her injury, but has been feeling sick and has noticed some changes in herself that she was not expecting. They are the same changes that had taken place when she had become pregnant with Primrose. Katniss didn't think Peeta had noticed yet as he had been distracted with the concerns about her safety, and also his return to the bakery after another absence.

Katniss gathers her thoughts as the doctor calls her in.

"Katniss" he says. "What can I do for you today?" He is quite cheerful and doesn't seem perturbed at all with the problems his patients must bring to him on a daily basis.

Katniss begins. "Uh…I have noticed some changes in myself which I remember happening at the time I had my first baby. I think I might be pregnant again" says Katniss.

"Well, let's take a look at you" he says.

Katniss strips from the waist down while the doctor asks her about the symptoms. She tells him about her nausea, breast enlargement and lack of a monthly cycle. Plus her belly is beginning to swell again.

After examining her he says:

"Well, you are right Katniss. According to my calculations, you are about three months along".

Katniss is having trouble accepting what the doctor has just confirmed for her. When did this happen? If she is three months along already, then she must have fallen pregnant before she was captured by Snow's men. She tries to think back to the weeks preceding that event. But something else is tugging at her mind. Oh no! How will her illness and all the medication have affected the baby?

She tells the doctor. "I spent some time in the hospital very early in my pregnancy. Before I knew about the baby. I had a terrible infection and they treated me with all kinds of drugs" Katniss tells him.

The doctor looks concerned.

"Do you know what kind of drugs?" he asks her.

"I think they were strong antibiotics, plus they sedated me for several days as well because I was hallucinating". Katniss suddenly remembers how Peeta had told her she was talking about a baby when she was delirious. How could she possibly have known?

"I think we will need to keep a very close eye on you during this pregnancy, Katniss. Sometimes these drugs can affect unborn children and, I am sorry to say, we won't know if that's the case until the baby is born". He didn't want to tell her she could also lose the baby if the drugs had impacted severely on it while it was still developing in the womb.

Katniss leaves the doctor's surgery in shock. First of all, she wasn't prepared for the doctor's confirmation of her pregnancy and secondly, the drugs that saved her life may have harmed their unborn child. What was she going to tell Peeta?

Katniss decides to go to the bakery on her way home just to see Peeta. She doesn't want to tell him yet, she just wants to see him. His presence is always so reassuring.

"Katniss!" he says with surprise when he sees her. He wasn't expecting a visit from her today.

"Peeta" she manages before she goes around the counter to give him a big hug. She holds him tightly and Peeta senses there is something more to her visit as she reluctantly lets him go.

"What's brought you to the bakery?" he asks.

"I just wanted to see you" says Katniss.

"It's always a pleasure to see you" Peeta tells Katniss with a smile. His beautiful, brilliant smile.

"Haymitch is minding Prim for me, so I thought I would come up and see if you needed any help" she says.

"Sure!" Peeta tells her. He knows that is not the reason for Katniss' visit, but he plays along with her as she obviously does not want to talk about it here.

"What can I do?" she asks.

"Well, you could help to serve some of the customers while I go out the back to the ovens if you like".

Katniss agrees. She needs something to take her mind off the news and she needs to be close to Peeta right now. She calls Haymitch just to let him know she has been delayed and he tells her Prim is sleeping. That means Katniss can stay for a while, and she busies herself with orders in the store. She can't deal with the news around her pregnancy right now and wants to make sure Peeta knows she is there for him, too. They are going to need eachother more than ever when she tells him.

Gale is still on duty in District 12 waiting for Paylor to call him back to the Capitol for discussions about Snow and his escape. She has been putting him off, claiming delays around bringing certain people together before they decide their next move. Gale doesn't want to wait much longer. He, and his friends, have kept the incident with Katniss and Snow under wraps, but until Snow is caught, Katniss' safety is still an issue. As much as District 12 has been provided with reinforcements again, Snow and his men are devious. The longer they are left to their own devices, the worse it will be for Katniss.

Gale decides to call down to the bakery and see Peeta. He knows Peeta is worried, too, and that no one can keep Katniss wrapped up in cotton wool forever. She is too stubborn and too feisty for that. They have both tried in the past, but Katniss nature just won't allow her to remain still for long. Gale knows that stillness is what is required now. The stillness of the hunter as he waits and watches for his prey. That is how Katniss was caught the last time. She became the hunted instead of the hunter. Gale thinks this might be a way to explain to Katniss what is needed right now. An analogy she can understand. She understands hunting. It's in her blood.

Gale is surprised to see Katniss working behind the counter in the bakery when he gets there. She doesn't normally help out in the store, but maybe it is her attempt to keep her mind off things at the moment. After all, this was the time she and Peeta were supposed to have been married, back from their honeymoon and living "happily ever after". Things just never seemed to go to plan for these two and yet Gale had accepted that they were meant to be together. He was not just the protector of Katniss anymore, he was the protector of her relationship with Peeta as well. He didn't know how that made him feel. Grateful, that Katniss had allowed him back into her life, and annoyed at times, too. He had also had something special with Katniss. Just having her back in his life was something he knew he could never take for granted, though, so he puts a stop to his thoughts of self-pity and walks into the store.

"Katniss" Gale greets her. "What are you doing here?"

"Just helping Peeta out for a little while. I had some time on my hands as Haymitch is minding Prim for me and she is sleeping now".

"Might be just what you need. Something to take your mind off everything else" says Gale.

If only Gale knew what that "everything else" was, thinks Katniss. If only Peeta knew. She will have to tell him tonight. He needs to know.

Katniss chats to Gale about all the things that aren't on her mind and gives him some free buns to bring back to the Barracks. It's the least she can do. They will have to catch up soon, her, Peeta and Gale, so they can get an update on the situation with Snow. It's the last thing she wants to think about, though. Now that she knows about the baby.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Divulgent

Katniss stays in the store for an hour or so and then tells Peeta she needs to head back and collect Prim. He kisses her as she leaves and she hugs him again. She hopes he will understand.

Prim is awake when Katniss arrives and Haymitch offers her a cup of tea. She agrees and decides to chat with him for a few minutes. Katniss needs the company. Anything to take her mind off what she needs to tell Peeta later.

"Well, how are you doing Katniss?" asks Haymitch. He can see she looks a bit distracted and wonders what's on her mind.

"I'm pregnant" she says, not thinking about why she is telling Haymitch first.

"Congratulations!" he replies, looking like the enthusiastic Uncle of the Year.

At the same time, Katniss does not look to him like she is celebrating. Haymitch knows there is more to this than she is telling him and asks her to tell him what else is on her mind.

"Haymitch, I was pregnant when Snow captured me and when they gave me all that medication in the hospital. It might have hurt the baby". Katniss begins to get emotional. "How am I going to tell Peeta?"

Haymitch knows why Katniss is telling him first. He had been there when Peeta had been given the news of Katniss' capture. He had seen his reaction, first of anger, then of grief. In the beginning, Peeta hadn't been angry at the captors. He had been angry at Katniss. Somehow, Katniss had sensed Peeta's underlying anger at her. The anger that rested on the foolish decision she made that day and which had left Peeta helpless once again. Her actions were not enough to make Peeta stop loving her, but enough to make Katniss feel uncertain about telling him the news now.

"Peeta loves you, Katniss. He loves Prim. He was angry when you were captured because he was afraid. Afraid of losing you and not being able to do anything about it. He felt helpless, Katniss. When people are helpless that makes them angry sometimes".

Katniss knows Haymitch is right. Peeta will always let her do what she thinks is right, but so often the consequences come back on him. Why did he even still love her?

"I know" she concedes. "But, if anything happens to this baby, Peeta is going to blame me" she says tearfully.

"No, Katniss. He won't blame you. He will blame the people responsible. Remember when I had to leave you as you headed to the Quarter Quell? Can you tell me what I said to you just before I left?" asks Haymitch.

"Yes" says Katnisss quietly. "You told me to remember who the real enemy is".

"That's what you need to do now. That's what Peeta needs to do. Remember who the real enemy is".

It was as clear as day, now that Haymitch had said it. The enemy was Snow. It was always Snow.

Katniss gives Haymitch a big hug.

"Thank you, Haymitch. You are right. Please don't tell Peeta I said anything".

He promises to keep the news to himself and leaves Katniss to ponder how she will tell Peeta.

In the evening, Peeta returns from the store and Katniss already has the dinner made. It smells good and Peeta tucks right in. There is turkey, Prim's favourite, with vegetables fresh from the garden. They enjoy the meal and Prim keeps them amused with her antics. She is learning to feed herself and a lot of the food ends up everywhere else except in her mouth. She uses her fingers to pick some of it up and Katniss decides Prim will need her bath before they can talk. She lets Peeta relax while she bathes Prim and prepares her for bed. When they are done Katniss brings Prim down the stairs to say goodnight to him. Peeta takes Prim in his arms and gives her a big hug and kiss. She repeats her favourite words, "dadadada", before waving good night and going to bed. Peeta can hear Katniss singing to her upstairs and feels so complete. They have a wonderful life…when they can forget about all the people who are still trying to destroy them.

When Katniss returns, Peeta knows she has something to tell him. Katniss had told Finnick at the last games that most people seemed to know her secrets before she knew them herself. Peeta was now in line to learn the latest of Katniss' secrets.

"I went to the doctor's today" Katniss says.

Peeta is concerned.

"Is something wrong?" he asks her.

"No, well, not really" she says.

Peeta hates it when Katniss won't just come out with it when he knows she has something to tell him.

"Why did you go to the doctor's, Katniss?"

"I'm pregnant again" says Katniss. There. It's out. What now?

"You're pregnant again?!" Peeta exclaims. He can't keep the smile off his face. "Oh, my God, Katniss, that's wonderful!" he says.

He takes Katniss in a big hug, squeezing her tight, and then puts his hand on her belly.

"How far along?" he asks her.

She is smiling now, too. Peeta's excitement has ignited her own and she so wants everything to be all right with this baby.

"Three months the doctor thinks" Katniss says.

"Three months? But we only got back six weeks ago" says Peeta, confused.

"I know. I was pregnant before that". Katniss doesn't want Peeta to do the calculations in his head right now. She just wants him to be happy for the both of them. "I think it happened when I got back from my trip to the Capitol with Effie. Remember the candlelit dinner in the bakery?"

Peeta remembers. He also remembers that it was after that Snow had captured her, and she had ended up in the hospital.

"What did the doctor say about the time you had to spend in the hospital? Did you tell him you got an infection and that they had to sedate you?" Peeta knew that the use of drugs during pregnancy could have serious implications for a baby.

"Yes" Katniss whispers.

"What did he say?" asks Peeta again.

"He said we won't know if any of that has affected the baby until it is born". Katniss hears her own words ripping a hole in both their hearts.

"We won't know until the baby is born?" questions Peeta.

"No. Peeta, I'm sorry. I didn't know. It was so early".

Peeta is taken from the highest heights to the deepest depths in an instant. The baby Katniss had talked about during her delirium was real. How did she know? More importantly, what were they going to do about it now? They had no idea of the baby's condition and wouldn't until the baby was born. Peeta was afraid. He was afraid for Katniss and he was afraid for the baby, too. He needed to reassure her. Part of him wanted to blame her for the rashness of her actions again, but Peeta knows that isn't fair. Katniss doesn't deserve that. She had been as unsuspecting going into the woods as any of them were at the time.

Peeta takes Katniss in his arms and she begins to cry. She keeps telling him that she is sorry and he tells her that it is not her fault. That it will be OK. They will get through this together. At the same time, Peeta knows that Katniss is no longer the only one who wants to assassinate Snow. He does, too. And, if he gets the chance, he will make sure Snow finally pays the price for the havoc he has wreaked on their family.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Letting Go

Another six weeks have gone by and Gale refuses to wait any longer. If the Capitol aren't going to call him back, then he will go there himself and force Paylor to make a decision. This time Gale decides he will get the train to the Capitol as he doesn't want to give Paylor any warning of his impending arrival. She has had enough time to sort things out and should at least have some idea of what the Government is going to do.

Gale decides to visit Katniss and Peeta before he leaves. He wants to keep them up to date on what is happening and let them know about his trip to the Capitol. Peeta is in the garden when he arrives.

"Hey, Gale. I'm just trying to tidy this garden up before Prim's birthday on Sunday" says Peeta.

Gale had forgotten. It was Prim's first birthday and they were going to have a big celebration with family and friends. How quickly the last year had gone. Gale was glad that the family were able to celebrate the occasion together…things could have turned out so differently just a matter of months ago.

"Peeta, I'd forgotten you'd invited me to come over". Gale feels bad that he has become so caught up in his own plans that he had forgotten about Prim's birthday. "I'm actually making plans to head back to the Capitol to find out what Paylor is doing about Snow".

"That's good" says Peeta. It's good that Gale is still concerned enough to want to follow up with Paylor since they've had no more sign of any trouble since their return to District 12. "They've had long enough to work it out and the longer they wait, the harder it will be to end this".

"We both know he won't stop. He is lying in wait somewhere and it's time to find out where...before he can cause you and Katniss anymore heartache. Enough is enough" says Gale.

Peeta agrees.

"Gale, we really appreciate everything you are doing to help Katniss, and catch Snow. She wouldn't even be here to celebrate Prim's first birthday if it wasn't for you. We owe you so much…" says Peeta.

"You don't owe me anything" says Gale. "I wouldn't have it any other way. It's not just Katniss who is suffering. Snow needs to pay the price for what he has done to all the people of Panem".

Katniss walks out just as Gale says this. She's put Prim down for a sleep and has come out to see how Peeta is doing in the garden. She wasn't expecting to see Gale here.

"What's going on?" Katniss asks.

Peeta replies. "Gale is heading back to the Capitol to meet with Paylor. He thinks we have waited long enough for a response from the Government and wants to try and force Paylor's hand".

"Gale, you know they don't take kindly to pressure. Especially if you are making them look bad" says Katniss. She is beginning to sound a little like Peeta. Reasonable and logical in her response. Gale doesn't recognize this Katniss.

"Since when were you so concerned about how the Government felt about anything, Katniss?" he asks.

Katniss is taken aback. She wasn't criticizing him, just concerned for his safety.

"I am just concerned about you, Gale. They could have kept you there, locked up, and they could put you in prison again" she says with feeling.

"I am not concerned about what Paylor and the Government can do to me. I'm concerned about what their inaction already did to you…and Peeta, and Prim! Someone needs to force their hand and, since I am the one who started the ball rolling, I intend to keep up the pressure until something is done. It's not just you. They have deceived all the people and put their safety at risk. I took on the job of Peacekeeper to keep people safe. It's an impossible job if the Government sets us up to fail".

Katniss knows that Gale has a point. She also sees something else for the first time. Gale is a man of the people. He belongs to the people. Whereas Peeta is a family man and belongs just to her. Peeta's vision is not as grand, but it has stolen her heart. She is at the centre of his vision. Peeta is hers and she is his, but Gale will never truly belong to anyone. He has a higher calling, one that she had felt, too, but Katniss knows her greatest calling is the one to family. The family she and Peeta have created together. This is the calling she chose and would give her life for. The revelation draws her to Peeta's side as he speaks to Gale.

"Gale, you have our full support and, if there's anything we can do to help, please just ask. We want Snow captured as badly as you do, but I don't want Katniss put at risk again".

"I agree. You have been through enough and Katniss still needs to rest and recover". Gale addresses Katniss directly. "Katniss, you need to listen to Peeta and do as he says. He has your best interests at heart and it's important that you don't leave yourself exposed. If you think back to the days we spent in the woods together, hunting, you'll remember how you need to be alert, and very still, if you want to remain the hunter and not become the hunted. Please, promise me you will be still now for Peeta and let him take care of you". It was like he was giving her to Peeta.

Katniss senses a lump in her throat. It feels like a goodbye and she doesn't want to say goodbye to Gale. She wants him to stay. She wants all of them to be together and for everything to be OK. But, the truth is, things were never really OK in District 12 or Panem, not as long as Snow was alive. She hated that she could not do something to help, but Katniss knows that Gale is right. Peeta had been through enough, Prim had suffered and their unborn child needed her utmost protection. Gale still didn't know about the pregnancy. At four and a half months she had managed to keep it concealed from prying eyes by wearing loose trousers and tops. Big jumpers, too, now the winter was beginning to set in.

Katniss barely nods in acknowledgement to Gale's words. She knows she will do as he says because Peeta deserves that and she can never make up for everything she has put him through. It's not over yet, sadly. They still have to wait for the baby to be born.

"Gale, you need to come to Prim's party on Sunday. There will be so many people there that you know and we have a surprise organized for our family and friends. Please! It would mean so much to us, and to Prim" says Katniss.

Gale thinks about what Katniss is saying. It could a while before he is back in District 12 and it would do them all good to have something to celebrate for a change.

"All right, Katniss. I'll leave on Monday, after the celebrations" he says.

Katniss gives him a big hug and thanks him. Peeta smiles, glad that Katniss is happy and Gale will be here for the big day. He has something he needs to ask him.

.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Uncertainty

Peeta is wakened by Katniss thrashing in the bed.

"No, NO!" she cries out.

Peeta touches her arm. She pulls it away.

"Don't touch me!" Katniss growls.

"Katniss…" Peeta says.

"Please, don't hurt my baby" pleading now.

"Katniss" Peeta tries again. He knows she is having a nightmare and he needs to bring her out of it before she wakes Prim. Katniss nightmares have begun to return with the confirmation of her pregnancy and the stress around it. They don't know the condition of the baby and they still don't know where Snow is hiding out.

"Katniss. It's OK. It's just a nightmare" Peeta tells her as he reaches over to her again.

She begins to rouse from her sleep.

"Peeta?"

"Yes, Katniss. I'm here. You were having a nightmare". He can feel her trembling in the bed beside him.

"Oh, Peeta. He was here. He was here!" Peeta knows she means Snow.

"It's OK, Katniss" Peeta reassures her again. "He's not here, he's nowhere to be found. You are safe. I promise". Peeta takes her in his arms and holds her tenderly. Katniss needs to feel his arms around her.

"I can't stand not knowing" she says. "Not knowing about the baby, not knowing about Snow".

Peeta can't stand it either. Katniss pregnancy seems to be going normally without any hint of problems, but there is still nearly five months to go and anything could happen. These nightmares will not help her state of mind or her physical health either.

"I know" Peeta says. "But we have to be positive about the outcome. So far, the baby is doing well. According to the doctor he is growing normally and there are no signs of any complications".

Katniss knows this is true. Her nausea has subsided and her belly is getting bigger. She still has not felt any movement yet, but she should soon. That is, if everything is OK.

Peeta continues: "And Gale is headed to the Capitol to try and find out about Snow and his whereabouts. We have to trust that Gale knows what he is doing".

"I know" says Katniss. She finds Peeta's words reassuring, but she doesn't want to think about Gale going back to the Capitol right now. Maybe that was the trigger for her nightmare. It just brought all her fears back to the surface.

"Katniss?" asks Peeta.

"Yes" she replies.

Peeta needs reassurance now, too.

"You love me. Real or not real?" he whispers.

"Real" she replies, taking his hand and placing it on her belly. If Peeta ever needed reassurance of her love it was right here. Katniss had proved her love by giving her whole self to him. Out of that new beginnings had flowed.

"I love you, Katniss" he tells her, leaning over and kissing her tenderly on the lips.

"I love you, too, Peeta" she replies. Peeta's overtures do not go unanswered as Katniss responds to his touch once again.

In the morning, the visitors begin to arrive. Katniss and Peeta have family and friends coming from out of town to celebrate Prim's birthday. Her mother arrives first and is excited to see them all again. She is loaded up with gifts and goodies for the celebration, but Prim will have to wait to see her surprise. Next Annie arrives with Finn. Katniss is so happy to see her and hugs her and Finn tightly, a hug which Finn tries to squirm out of as soon as possible. Katniss steps back to look at them both and is startled to see how much more Finn is beginning to look like Finnick. He has those lovely dimples in his cheeks and his eyes dance with curiosity at everything new around him. Katniss brings Annie into the house to see her mother and Prim.

Effie is arriving this afternoon and Beetee and Johanna will be on the last train. Katniss and Peeta have not invited anyone else apart from Gale, Haymitch and some friends in District 12. They only want their closest friends, and allies, at the celebrations. Their trust has waned significantly since Katniss' capture and neither of them want to take any chances. It is enough that they have the people who mean the most to them here for the celebrations tomorrow. It could also be the last time they are all together for a while.


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Celebration

The day of Prim's birthday celebrations dawns bright and clear. Everyone has arrived and Katniss is up early to begin the preparations. There is so much to do. First, she has to organize the food and Annie is going to help her with that. Luckily, Finn and Prim are up early and, after giving Prim a big birthday hug and kiss, feeding and changing her, Katniss brings them both across to Haymitch so they can concentrate on what needs to be done. It is one of the few times Katniss remembers seeing Haymitch first thing in the morning when he wasn't grumpy. He is happy to see Prim and gives her the first birthday present of the day – a doll. Not just any doll, but a talking doll ordered from the Capitol. Effie had brought it up yesterday. When they take it out of the box, Haymitch pulls the string at the back and the doll say "Mama". Prim squeals with delight and begins to pull at the string as Katniss thanks Haymitch for his thoughtfulness. She hopes the children will be good for him while she and Annie go back to prepare for the day.

Peeta is up when she returns, organizing the decorations with her mother's help. They want to make the house as bright and cheerful as possible. Effie, of course, loves a good celebration so she has supplied a big bag of balloons, streamers and other items for display. There is so much colour, it takes away some of the darkness of the impending winter. Katniss gives Peeta a hug and kisses him softly on the lips. She thinks back to the day she gave birth to Primrose, how unprepared they had both been that day, and how valiantly Peeta had stepped up to help deliver their baby girl. The experience had created a bond between them that could never be broken.

After kissing Katniss, Peeta tries to get out of her way as she and Annie begin the food preparation. He needs to go up to the bakery to see about the cake, so he tells Katniss he will see her soon. Peeta is excited about the day and the surprise they have in store for everyone later. It is too early for Gale to arrive yet, but he hopes to catch up with him as soon as he gets there. Gale doesn't know it yet, but he will be part of the surprise, too.

Katniss' mother finishes placing decorations around the house and decides that Haymitch could probably use some help, so she heads across to his house in the Victors Village to help mind Prim and Finn. This place had never felt much like home to her, but Katniss and Peeta were doing a fine job of making it cosy since Primrose had arrived. She thinks Katniss sometimes misses their old home in the seam, but there was so much heartache around it, too. The memories of Katniss' father, long gone now, but never forgotten. The terrible trepidation they experienced each year after Katniss, and then Prim, turned 12 and were eligible for the Reaping. And then, the Reaping that changed everything. Katniss' mother knew it was best to leave the past where it was. Everything had happened for a reason and led up to today, to her beautiful granddaughter's first birthday. She was going to celebrate with Katniss and make sure that Katniss knew she was there for her, and for Prim, too.

When the preparations for the party are finished and, after putting Prim down for a nap, Katniss gathers with some of the visitors to catch up on their news. Johanna has stayed close to Beetee's side. Not a very sociable person, Katniss seeks her out first to try and put her at ease. The truth is, there is something that will always set the Victors apart from everybody else, including Katniss and Peeta. People look on them differently, with a combination of awe and repugnance. They have had to kill other people, innocent people, to stay alive. Not having a choice did not always mean their actions would be favoured. Only the Victors knew the true cost, to themselves and to their families.

"Johanna" Katniss says. "How are things in District 3?" Johanna had not wanted to return to District 7 after the Rebellion. She had no one left there and wanted to get away from the memories. The damage the Capitol had inflicted on her hadn't destroyed her, but it had robbed her of anything meaningful in her life. Right now, Johanna clung tenuously to the lifeline provided by the only other Victor she had anything much in common with…Beetee. He was also alone and a loner of sorts.

"Fine. Boring. But it's better than going back to 7 and seeing what the Capitol did there. It will take years before it will be productive again. The wildfires set by Snow burnt down thousands of acres of trees". Katniss heard that this is what Snow had done. People from District 7 needed to move to other Districts just to survive, some even went to the Capitol. Katniss remembered the beggars she had seen on the streets when she searched for her wedding dress with Effie.

"I heard" says Katniss. "I'm sorry".

"Not as sorry as Snow was when the Rebels finally got their hands on him" Johanna says as a look of smug satisfaction crosses her face. Little does Johanna know that Snow has still not paid the price for all the misery he caused them. Hopefully, he will soon, thinks Katniss. "We've still got Capitol Rebels to deal with though, so I am working with Beetee to see what we can do to disrupt their plans. Guess we never really got out of the Games after all" Johanna says. It's true. Katniss knows it. But today is not about the Games. Today is about what has come out of the Games. Something real, something tangible. Something good and worthwhile. Something Katniss never wants to forget. Prim.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Surprise!

Prim has wakened from her nap and the celebrations begin in earnest. She is overwhelmed by the decorations and all the people. They take it in turns to give her presents they have brought and Prim is more interested in playing with the ribbons and wrapping paper than the presents themselves. Peeta has painted two beautiful portraits, one of Prim and one of their family, which they will hang on the wall for her. He has also put together the rocking horse which Katniss' mother had delivered from the Capitol. Prim loves it. Finn wants to try it, too. They take it in turns to ride the horse with everyone watching on. Finally, Katniss decides it is time to eat and the guests gather around for food in the garden. The day has remained bright, thankfully, so they enjoy the wintry sunshine and good company.

Eventually, Katniss excuses herself saying she has to get ready for the most important part of the day. Her mother and Effie go with her while Annie oversees the children playing. Gale had finally arrived and Peeta has taken him across to Haymitch's house to have a word.

Beetee begins setting out some chairs in the garden so Katniss and Peeta's guests can sit in the waning sunshine a little while longer. Soon they will have to head inside again, out of the cool evening air. Beetee brings a communications pod outside and sets it on a table to the side. After inviting people to take a seat, he sets it to play.

Images of Katniss and Peeta, their moments of coming together during the Games, begins to play. Peeta confesses his love for Katniss, tells her to "go!" to escape being captured by the careers and then is injured by Cato as she flees. Then, there is the announcement allowing for two Victors if both come from the same District. Katniss finda Peeta, feeds Peeta, and kisses him for the first time. Peeta tells Katniss about the first time he saw her, tries to keep her from leaving to get his medicine and then Peeta treats Katniss' wound. Finally, Katniss and Peeta prepare to take the poison berries, together. Next are images from the Quarter Quell. Peeta volunteers in Haymitch's place and then tells the Capitol audience that Katniss is having a baby to try and stop the Games. Katniss is overwhelmed with grief when Peeta hits the forcefield, then relief when Finnick finally revives him. The final scene is of Peeta and Katniss with the locket on the beach.

The images fade out and Peeta appears in Haymitch's doorway with Gale by his side. The two of them are dressed in black suits and vests with white shirts and green bow ties…Katniss' favourite colour. They have green kerchiefs in their pockets and white Primrose flowers in their lapels. There is a uniformed Peacekeeper with them and they walk across to stand beside the table Beetee has set up. The guests have already turned their chairs to watch the screen and now begin to understand the significance of the day. As the screen fades and music begins to play behind them, they turn around.

Katniss appears in the doorway of their house, her mother and her mentor on either side. She is stunning. Wearing a full length white gown with long sleeves and overlaid with a simple lace, it fits like a glove down to her thighs and then splits into cascading sections of tulle in a Godet style which reaches to the floor. Primrose flowers are intertwined through her hair which is in one braid that falls over her left shoulder and she is wearing Peeta's locket around her neck. Peeta has never seen Katniss look so beautiful. He is in awe of her again. They begin to slowly walk down the steps, as Haymitch takes Katniss' arm and her mother carries Prim, making their way to the front of the guests. Katniss' mother takes a seat as Haymitch gently gives Katniss' hand to Peeta while Gale watches on. He is the best man at Peeta and Katniss' wedding and, after being surprised at Peeta's request, knows this is the right thing to do. Gale feels privileged to be given the honour.

The Peacekeeper begins the ceremony as Peeta and Katniss look on eachother with love. It is perfect. A moment, at one time, the two of them never dreamed they might have. After the preliminary words are spoken over them, it is time for Peeta and Katniss to exchange their vows. Peeta begins:

"Katniss, I loved you from the first day I saw you. I remember everything about that day…how you looked, what you did, how you made me feel. I cherished that day because somehow I knew it was special. I knew you were special. That has never changed. Then, without warning, fate intervened in a way that neither of us could ever have imagined. Being brought together for the Games changed our lives, and the lives of those around us, forever. It made us realize what was important and taught us how to survive…relying on eachother, protecting eachother, keeping eachother alive. I know I could not have survived without you, Katniss. I do not want to survive without you. There is no one else for me. There never has been. I want to tell you that again today".

Katniss is overwhelmed at Peeta's vows and knows she could never deserve him. Haymitch's words ring in her ears again…"You could live a thousand lifetimes and never deserve that boy". She speaks from the heart:

"Peeta. I don't deserve you. I have never deserved you. You saved me. From the moment you threw that bread to a starving girl until this moment, today, you have been there for me. At first, I didn't know it and then, I couldn't accept it, I was too caught up in just trying to survive. Especially in the Games. It was all about surviving. But then, there was that moment during the First Games when survival became not just about me, but about you. I wanted you to survive, I needed you to survive. Then, during the second Games, I realized…I couldn't imagine my life without you. I still can't". Katniss wants Peeta to ask her the most important question again, the question he asked her on the night they had finally become one.

Peeta asks Katniss in front of the witnesses at their wedding, "You love me, real or not real?"

"Real" replies Katniss as Peeta smiles brilliantly at his beautiful bride. Katniss and Peeta exchange rings and the Peacekeeper pronounces them husband and wife.

"You may kiss the bride" he says and they become locked in an embrace which neither of them ever want to end.

The guests cheer and eventually Peeta and Katniss break their embrace to take Prim in their arms. They are finally married and have put a permanent seal on their relationship. This is their gift to Prim on her first birthday. A promise to one another, to her and their unborn child, that they will always be together. They couldn't be happier. Katniss pregnant belly has not gone unnoticed either, the dress finally revealing the good news. It is time for more congratulations. Effie is all in a fluster. She has been since she saw Katniss put the dress on.

"Katniss, you told me the dress needed alterations, but you didn't tell me why!" Effie had said.

"I wanted it to be a surprise, Effie" she had said, smiling.

Effie was disturbed. "Well, I am only getting used to the idea of you having one baby, and now this…" says Effie, as though she was the one who had to carry the child for nine months or would actually be taking care of it after it was born. People in the Capitol controlled their childbirth rates and one or two children spread far apart was the norm. You just didn't go and get pregnant "willy nilly".

"It's OK, Effie. We will try to be more careful the next time" Katniss had said, poking fun at her good naturedly.

"Well, I would hope so. That was always the problem in the Districts…too many mouths to feed".

Effie had her Capitol blinders on and there was nothing Katniss could say to her in that moment which would be either decent, or change Effie's mind. She decided it was better to walk away. Katniss would deal with Effie later.

The local hall has been commandeered for the rest of the celebrations and there is more food and drink, music, dancing and plenty of camaraderie. Haymitch is drinking his fill and Effie has to put up with his overtures. Katniss thinks Effie is secretly enjoying the attention, but she is very proper and won't tolerate Haymitch if he gets too drunk. Annie is excited at Peeta and Katniss' news and shares Katniss' concerns around the pregnancy. She is one of the few who knows about the encounter with Snow and has also been sworn to secrecy. Annie tells Katniss that she is always available if she is needed. Katniss appreciates her continuing support and promises to spend some more time with her soon. Prim and Finn seem to enjoy eahcother's company so they would enjoy the visits, too, Katniss thinks.

Finally, it is time for Peeta's cake to be brought out. He has decided to keep it simple, like Katniss' dress, and he hopes she likes it. As it is wheeled out on a trolley, Katniss can see it has three circular layers decorated in a white icing. Surrounding each layer are Primrose flowers made of icing. But, it is not just the flowers on display, Peeta has constructed the leaves and stems as well. It is as if a bed of Primrose had been planted around each layer of the cake. On the top, in miniature, stands a woman with a heavily pregnant belly. Her arm lays across the shoulders of the man sitting beside her who has a child on his lap. This is Peeta's representation of their family. They are not just a bride and groom…they are a family. Katniss is overwhelmed again at Peeta's thoughtfulness and his creativity. When did he find the time to do all this? She is in awe of him. Standing side by side with Prim in their arms, they light the solitary candle for her first birithday and sing Happy Birthday to her. Then Peeta and Katniss cut the cake, together, for their guests to enjoy.

A short time later, the day finally is coming to a close. Katniss wants to see Gale before he leaves. She wonders how he felt about Peeta asking him to be Best Man at their wedding and she also wonders when she might see him again.

"Gale, when are you heading back to the Capitol?" she asks.

"Tomorrow morning" he replies. He has hardly seen Katniss all night, she has been so taken up with the many guests. He has congratulated Peeta on the pregnancy and realizes how much more the couple have to deal with than he had first imagined. It was even more important now to ensure Snow was caught.

"Oh" Katniss says. Gale had said he was leaving tomorrow, but Katniss is still not prepared.

"You look beautiful" Gale tells her. There is appreciation in his eyes. He always knew Katniss would look beautiful on her wedding day.

"Thank you" Katniss replies. She goes on: "Peeta wanted you to be a part of the wedding. You two have become friends and he admires you so much, too. He really appreciates everything you have done for us" she tells Gale.

"I know, Katniss. I admire him, too. No one else would put up with you or your antics" he says with a grin. Katniss knows that means Gale is OK. He has accepted the inevitable and is actually joking about it at her expense. Still, she doesn't feel like joking right now. She gives him a quick smile and then becomes serious again.

"Gale, I want you to be careful when you go to the Capitol. It's not just Snow who is devious. They all are. Wherever there is power, there is corruption and we both know that. Please, don't take any chances you don't need to take. We really want you back here, safe and sound". Even as she says that last sentence, Katniss knows that Gale is a long way from ever being safe and sound in the battle against Snow. But, she does want him back, and she wants him back in one piece so that she doesn't have to fear for him as well as Peeta, Prim and the baby.

"Don't worry, Katniss. They haven't managed to kill any of us yet, and the odds are in our favour this time. Snow knows he's been exposed and so does the Capitol. The rats have been smoked out of their holes and now we just need to capture them. That's the easy part" he says.

Katniss hopes so. She hopes it is easy and that no more people get hurt in the process. It is going to be a long winter.

 **Authors note: Theme song for Peeta and Katniss wedding celebrations (and for Valentine's Day for anyone reading this chapter today): A Thousand Years – Christina Perri. Happy Valentine's Day xox**


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Capitol Ties

After the wedding, the guests from outlying Districts return to the Victor's Village where they will stay one more night. The toasting comes at the end of a long day. Peeta and Katniss toast the bread, which he had made, over a fire someone prepared for them. It is a custom in District 12 they want to maintain. The day complete, Katniss and Peeta ensure all the guests are settled comfortably for the night. Primrose, of course, had been settled much earlier as Katniss' mother had offered to bring her back to the house while the couple enjoyed the rest of the wedding celebrations.

Peeta and Katniss retire to their room. Peeta looks at Katniss, in all the glory of her wedding attire, and thinks he is the luckiest man alive. He is so proud of her and this is the crowning moment of everything their relationship has endured.

He takes Katniss in his arms.

"I love you so much" Peeta whispers.

"I know" says Katniss. "So much, that you never gave up on me".

It was true. Peeta had never given up on her. They preferred not to think of his hijacking now as Peeta had no control over what the Capitol had done to him and both of them knew that was not the real Peeta, the one that had loved Katniss from the first time he saw her. He knows Katniss still feels some pangs of guilt over how conflicted she had been in her relationship with him, but Peeta recognizes it must have been much harder on Katniss. He had no one else tugging on his affections and his loyalty. In the end, despite all the odds, Katniss had chosen him, and that was what mattered now.

"I didn't really have a choice" Peeta says. "There was never anyone else for me" he tells her as he kisses her on the lips.

Katniss knows she had a choice to make. Gale had been there for her, too, affectionate in moments when they were both trying to decide what their relationship meant to them. She knew Gale loved her as well. But, the dandelion in the spring – Peeta – was the one who had brought real contentment to her restless soul. She didn't know that, of course, until Peeta had returned from the Capitol. Never insistent in his love, Peeta's was always the gentle presence which remained in spite of her wanderings. Of course, the Capitol had tried to destroy that about Peeta and their relationship. Katniss was glad they had not succeeded.

She had wanted Peeta to ask her again at the wedding – "You love me, real or not real?" – so she could answer him in front of witnesses. Before the first Games, he had professed his love for her in front of the whole of Panem. Katniss knew she owed Peeta for the courage he had shown in that moment, and later for bearing her anger and rejection. It was the very least Katniss could do to give that moment to back to Peeta, and to give her own heart peace.

"There will never be anyone else for me" Katniss reassures him as she returns his kiss.

Peeta begins to help Katniss out of her dress as she turns and allows Peeta to unzip her. It is, in some strange way, her response to Johanna's antics at the Quarter Quell. "What do you think, now that the whole world wants to sleep with you?" Johanna had famously said. At the time, Katniss had never thought about anyone else desiring Peeta. The thought had never crossed her mind, until Johanna had pointed the obvious...that Peeta was desirable and other people could see in him what Katniss had denied or was not allowing herself to see. Johanna's comment had triggered something in her, some kind of instinct that said Peeta belonged to no one else, only her. She couldn't even imagine Peeta loving anybody else, that's how certain she had been, even then, of Peeta's love for her. Well, no one else would be sleeping with Peeta now, Katniss decides, knowing hers is the only dress Peeta will ever be allowed to unzip, at least as long as she has breath in her body. The zip runs all the way down to the curve at the base of her back and Peeta draws it down slowly. Parting the back of her dress, he had eases it over her shoulders, being careful of her old wound, and Katniss slips the sleeves from her arms. She works the dress over her hips and lets it fall to the floor. Peeta brushes his hands down her bare arms just before Katniss steps out of the dress and turns around. Their desire is palpable. Katniss removes Peeta's waistcoat and begins to slowly unbutton his shirt. The anticipation of the moment is all encompassing. Katniss belly is protruding and Peeta places his hand over it, willing their child to be whole. He looks at Katniss and sees the future in her eyes, a future they prepare to forge again, as they finally embrace as husband and wife.

The day after the wedding dawns in wintry sunshine. The guests are planning to travel back to their districts and Gale is going to the Capitol. At least he won't be travelling alone, Katniss thinks. They have Effie, Beetee, Johanna, Annie, Katniss' mother and Gale to see off on the train. Haymitch comes with them as they head to the station. None of them know when they will see eachother again.

Katniss has taken Effie aside before this to have a word with her about her comment on the wedding day. She can't let Effie's comment go, the one she made about people in the Districts, and Katniss wants her to know how hurtful it was. Of course, Effie doesn't know that Katniss' additional pain comes from the concerns about her and Peeta's unborn child.

"Effie, I was really hurt at your comment about people in the Districts yesterday. The one you made when you were helping me on with my dress" Katniss begins.

Effie looks surprised. She hadn't thought about it when she had said it.

"Katniss, I was only thinking of you" says Effie. "You and Peeta have been through so much and when I heard about your melancholy with Prim, I was worried about you".

Katniss knows that this was not all that was behind Effie's comment.

"Effie, you said that it was always the problem with the Districts – too many mouths to feed" says Katniss feeling the anger rising in her chest.

"Well, it's true. People were starving and still having children" Effie remarks.

"People were starving because the Capitol controlled everything they had, Effie!" Katniss hands are clenched in fists by her side. "You saw it for yourself. The luxury of the Capitol compared to the poverty of the Districts. Surely now, after the Rebellion, you know more than what you did before about how the Capitol treated us". Katniss feels frustrated that Effie can't see this.

Effie knows Katniss is right. She knows she has lived a privileged and sheltered life in the Capitol. In fact, her trips to District 12 had caused her to become very uncomfortable, not just because of the dirt or the smell. She had gotten to know Peeta and Katniss, their goodness and their strength, and ever since Effie had found it harder to enjoy the Capitol lifestyle. At the Quarter Quell she knew what the Capitol was doing was wrong, but couldn't admit it, even to herself. She had benefited from the perks of the system and it was harrowing to go too deep into cavern of her existence where Effie could see only emptiness.

"Katniss, I am sorry" says Effie, becoming emotional. "I don't like to think about what the Capitol did to the people in the districts…it's just too painful. But, I do want what is best for you and Peeta so if you are happy, then I am happy for you, too. This Capitol mindset is a hard thing to shake" says Effie with tears in her eyes.

Katniss realizes that Effie is still traumatized from the original blow to her Capitol mindset…well, several blows actually which all began when she became emotionally attached to her two Victors. Katniss knows Effie wants what is best for them and decides to forgive her this time. Effie had spoken more out of habit than malice, and Katniss decides it must be exhausting to have to deal with a whole new way of thinking which is the opposite to the one you were brought up with.

"You know, Effie, sometimes I miss the exuberance of the Capitol and the luxuries Peeta and I enjoyed when we were forced into the Games" says Katniss. "I didn't like all of them, in fact, I hated most of the Capitol ways, but there were moments I could really appreciate…like when I saw the outfits Cinna prepared for me, or enjoyed the luxury of the bathrooms on the train and in the Tribute Centre, or sampled the food that you and I ate again when I came to the Capitol to look for my wedding dress" Katniss tells her.

Effie is in tears now, remembering the past and all that is gone, swept away by the Rebellion. Katniss hugs her and Effie knows that she had wanted Katniss and Peeta to see the goodness in the Capitol when she had first met them. It was her good and she didn't know any other kind then. The goodness that she needed to recognize now was in people, not in things. Katniss and Peeta had already shown her some of that, and their little family were going to allow her to experience even more of what was most important to people who had little else except each other. Effie is grateful to Katniss for this moment and Katniss is grateful to Effie as well. Effie allows Katniss to see the person that she could have been, if she had grown up in the Capitol, which makes her even happier that District 12 is still her home. In spite of all the hardships, she would not want to be anywhere else, or raise her children anywhere else either. This is their home. Hers, Peeta's, Prim's and the baby's. It is Gale's home, too. Katniss wonders where he is and when he will be back. She sees him walking ahead onto the platform.

"Gale" Katniss calls out.

He turns and sees her running to catch up with him.

"Katniss" he says and smiles.

"Gale, I couldn't let you go without saying goodbye" she tells him.

"It's not goodbye, Katniss. I'll see you soon…when I have dealt with Snow and all the corrupt politicians in the Capitol" Gale says.

"Please, be careful. We want you back…" Gale interrupts her.

"I will be back, in time for this new baby to be born. No dragging Peeta into the woods this time, Katniss" he says, teasing her.

A year ago, Gale had to go looking for them after Katniss and Peeta disappeared around the time their baby was due. Several Peacekeepers had to join him in the search after Katniss' mother had arrived and could find no sign of them at the house.

"I don't think Peeta will let me do that this time" she says, but more serious now. Peeta and Katniss both know this baby is at risk and don't want to take any more chances.

"Katniss, I will be back. I promise. You and Peeta look after eachother, like you always do, and don't worry about me. I have a whole Peacekeeping Force watching my back" says Gale.

Katniss finds that reassuring and hugs him, wishing him well. He promises to update them on events in the Capitol as soon as possible and tells Katniss he only has Peacekeepers he trusts stationed in District 12 now. She thanks him, kisses his cheek, and then finds Peeta on the platform. As the two of them wave their friends and family off, they hold hands tightly, knowing that the next few months will be full of unpredictable events…just like the Games.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Accommodation

Two weeks after the wedding Katniss had begun to feel a fluttering in her stomach. Her sense of relief was overwhelming. Their baby was moving and that was a good sign. She told Peeta right away and he was so happy to know that the signs of the baby being healthy were improving. Katniss was five months pregnant now and decided to start to enjoying the feeling of this new life growing inside her. There was nothing they could do about the outcome, only hope for the best.

Things in District 12 were the same and winter was causing more people to stay indoors, so life was quiet and peaceful. Peeta would not allow Katniss to visit Prim's grave without him and, as it was dark when he left in the morning and when he came home at night, she had to wait until the weekends to make the short journey to the graveyard. She knew Prim would understand and Peeta was very accommodating, always agreeable to the walk when Katniss asked him. Little Prim was walking now as well, so the three of them would get rugged up and Peeta and Katniss would take a hand each to walk her between them where the paths were straight. When the ground became a bit uneven, Peeta would lift her onto his shoulders and Prim would get a whole new perspective on the world. She loved to stop and look at the birds and animals while Peeta and Katniss explained them to her. Prim was beginning to learn new words and would mimic some of the simple things they said like "bird" and "cat" or "dog". She would try to make the sounds that the animals made which caused Peeta and Katniss to laugh while Prim, all the while, was very serious in her endeavours to speak.

The bakery was busy as usual, though, and Haymitch sometimes minded Prim for Katniss so she could help out in the shop. She enjoyed serving the customers and chatting to people they knew. Peeta enjoyed having her there. The closer Katniss was to him, the better. In spite of their busyness during the day, the risk to Katniss and their baby was never far from his mind. He often thought of Gale as well, and wondered what was happening in the Capitol. Gale had promised to keep them up to date and Peeta knew Gale was a man of his word so he hoped they would get news soon, and that Gale was alright. Peeta thinks they would have heard if there were any problems, so he tries not to worry about Gale as well, although he can't say the same for Katniss. She is still having nightmares and Peeta knows it is the association with the Capitol, and Gale being there, that is affecting her. He still doesn't know how to explain Katniss' relationship with Gale to himself. He doubts Katniss knows how to explain it either. There is a genuine love and caring between them, a deep friendship, which has been renewed since the Rebellion. Peeta knows it is no threat to his relationship with Katniss, but there is still a little piece of her that does not belong to him and Peeta finds that difficult to deal with sometimes.

Gale's trip back to the Capitol had been enjoyable, travelling with Peeta and Kantiss' friends and experiencing the camaraderie between them. Finn had entertained them with his antics and Gale could see Annie would have her hands full with him. Finn was a bright and curious child who was so much like Finnick…people were drawn to him like moths to a flame. Annie was a proud mother and a much stronger woman now than she had been at the time of the last Games, and in the aftermath of the Rebellion. Her life revolved around Finn and she was obviously trying to be strong for him. Gale could see she was doing her best.

Katniss' mother alighted from the train in District 4 with Annie and Finn, while Beetee and Johanna left the train at the next stop in District 3. Gale and Effie continued on the journey to the Capitol and Effie asked Gale about his trip.

"Do you have business in the Capitol, Gale?" asks Effie.

"Yes", says Gale. "As head of the Peacekeeping force in District 12, I need to give them regular updates on what is happening there".

"I would have thought they'd provide transport for you if they wanted to see you" says Effie. She knows, even with the new Government, that Peacekeepers are an important part of the Capitol machinery and it seems a bit odd that Gale is travelling on the train like a regular commuter. The proper way to do things was for the Capitol to transport its Peacekeepers.

"I just wanted enjoy the wedding celebrations a little while longer" Gale tells Effie. "Since so many people had to travel back on the train, I decided time would go more quickly with some company to enjoy. Peacekeepers get time off, too, Effie" Gale says, teasing her and reminding her that there is a life outside of Peacekeeping. Sometimes Gale forgets that, too.

"Oh, I know" says Effie. "When I was given the job of conducting the Reapings in District 12, people seemed to forget that I had a life outside of the Games as well. It took up so much of my time". No one had ever bothered to find out about Effie's life outside of the Games. They all just assumed it was as decadent as the rest of the Capitol folk and not really worthy of note. How dismissive people in the Districts had been of the Capitol people. Gale had never really thought about that. He'd had some exposure to them during his time in District 2 and saw how vulnerable they had become since the Rebellion but his concern fell short of actually feeling sorry for them. Perhaps there was another perspective which did not require all of the Capitol inhabitants to be as evil as the dictator, Snow. Many of them had never known any other way of life or been outside the Capitol to see what was really happening in the Districts. Even then, the Government was always feeding them propaganda to maintain the status quo.

"Yes, that must have been difficult for you, Effie" Gale says accepting that Effie has a right to her experiences which were so different from his own.

The truth was, Effie had enjoyed her new found responsibility when she was given oversight of District 12 for the 74th Hunger Games, but the Quarter Quell, and her closeness to Katniss and Peeta, had changed that. She was glad there would be no more Reapings and that she would not have to send any more young people to their death. Fortunately for her, both her Tributes had returned, or been rescued, from the Games and they weren't just a team any more…they were family. Effie would not swap all the perks of the Capitol for what she had with her District 12 Victors now.

"Well, not as difficult as things were for Peeta and Katniss of course. But, I tried to help them as much as I could and I am so glad everything turned out for the best in the end" says Effie.

Yes, thinks Gale. In many ways it had turned out for the best, for Peeta, for Katniss, even for the whole of Panem. He still wasn't sure what the outcome had meant for him, though, or what it would mean for him in the future. Right now, it meant another confrontation with Paylor and a push to end the stalemate over Coriolanus Snow. Gale begins to prepare himself for this next confrontation as Effie continues to recover from her last.


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Delivery

Three months after feeling the first movements of their baby, Katniss and Peeta have returned to the Capitol. Katniss is eight months pregnant and the doctor has advised that, in light of the possibility of complications, she should attend a Capitol hospital where urgent treatment would be available if needed. Katniss, of course, does not want this. It is so different to her and Peeta's first experience when Prim was born. But they both agree there is a real risk attached to this baby's birth and making sure the baby is OK is the most important thing. Thankfully, the pregnancy has been without complications up to now and the baby's movements were strong. Katniss' mother is attending to Prim back in District 12, with some help from Haymitch, as Peeta and Katniss aren't sure what the outcome in the Capitol will be. It gives them a little bit of time to spend alone together and reflect on what their future with this new baby will look like.

Gale had got word to them six weeks after leaving District 12 that he was now working undercover in relation to the Capitol Rebels and Snow. Paylor had decided that the time had come to do some serious digging in relation to Snow's whereabouts, after Gale had confronted her again and threatened to reveal the Government's secret. She knew she had no room for movement after having put the issue on hold for three months. It had to be done. Snow had to be found and Gale was not going to back down. She both admired and detested his stubbornness and wondered what it was about District 12 that had bred these kinds of people…Gale, Katniss, even the drunken, but silver tongued, Haymitch. She couldn't explain it, but she had to accept that they were right and, if she were to be true to her original calling in helping to establish the Rebellion, she would need to act now. She assigned Gale to head up the Taskforce which would recapture Coriolanus Snow.

Gale's current mission is to infiltrate some of the Rebel strongholds and glean any information he can in relation to Snow. Any other intelligence relating to Rebel plans would be a bonus. As Gale is too recognisable as one of the right hand men of the Revolution, he needs other Peacekeepers to volunteer to do the job of infiltrating Rebel ranks. Certain death would be the outcome of arousing these peoples suspicion. That's why Gale needs volunteers. Their acceptance of the mission must include an understanding of the outcome if they failed. Gale would go himself if he could, but is forced to accept the task of co-ordinating and overseeing the operation with the hope they can get some useful information soon. They had waited too long already.

After two weeks of anticipating, with visits to the hospital every other day, Katniss finally goes into labour. Katniss and Peeta had been staying in the apartment Gale had organized for them during her last hospitalization and only ventured out when absolutely necessary. Today, they had taken a short walk into the Capitol to get some supplies and on their return Katniss' contractions had begun. Peeta had immediately called the hospital to let them know she was in labour and was told they would send transport to collect them both. Katniss was afraid. She didn't want to go to the hospital. She just wanted to stay with Peeta and let him look after her again. She didn't trust anyone in the Capitol anymore and didn't want to be with anyone, except Peeta, when their child was born. Peeta tries to reassure her, telling her he will not leave her side and that everything will be OK. He needs her to stay calm. Her fear will only make things worse for her and maybe the baby, too.

"Katniss, it's OK. We've done this before, together, in less ideal circumstances. I am going to be right there with you the whole time and I won't let anybody do anything that could harm you or the baby. I promise".

Katniss looks at him uncertainly. She trusts Peeta, but she knows neither of them will be in control the way they were when Prim was born. She feels another contraction beginning.

"Peeta!" she gasps as she grabs his hand and squeezes it tightly. Katniss tries to manage her breathing while she waits for the contraction to ease. He rubs her back as he holds her hand, kneeling beside her. Tears begin to fill her eyes. Peeta understands.

"Katniss, it's OK" he tells her again. "I am coming with you. I won't let anything happen to you or the baby, I promise".

Katniss allows Peeta to help her up as the transport arrives. She won't let go of his hand even for him to grab her bag for the hospital, so he leaves it behind and walks with her to the waiting vehicle.

As she climbs into the back, Katniss looks at him and, before she can even ask him, Peeta replies, "Always".

The trip to the hospital is short and so far Katniss is handling the contractions well. When they get to the hospital they are brought to a private room and Katniss is immediately attached to monitors which will read the baby's heartbeat and her contractions. There is also a blood pressure cuff wrapped around her arm. They ask Katniss if she wants anything for the pain, but she refuses. She doesn't want any more drugs in her system…not after all the heartache they had caused already. Peeta doesn't move from her side and, in between the contractions, the two of them wonder whether this new baby will be a boy, as Katniss had foretold, or a girl. Katniss really wants a little boy who will look just like Peeta. The baby is already strong like him and she imagines how proud Peeta would be to have a son.

The medical staff continue to monitor Katniss and she hates that she cannot move around to make herself more comfortable as the labour intensifies. She never likes having things attached to her and feels a bit like a caged animal right now. The staff offer her something for relaxation, something she can breathe in and that doesn't need to be injected. Peeta raises his eyebrows at Katniss as if to say "what do you think?" in a gesture which prompts Katniss to consider the offer. She knows Peeta finds it hard to see her in pain and was valiant the last time in enduring her labour. Katniss decides that might be OK and agrees to use the mask they give her. It makes her a little drowsy, but doesn't take away any of the pain of the contractions. She squeezes Peeta's hand and continues to control her breathing to try and combat the pain.

After several hours, Katniss removes the mask from her face and begins to make that guttural sound again…the one Peeta had heard Katniss make the first time, just before Prim was born. The nurses had been checking her and knew she was getting close to delivering the baby. Suddenly, there is a room full of doctors and nurses crowding around the bed, watching Katniss and waiting expectantly for the baby's head to crown. They have prepared everything they need for any emergency procedures which adds to the fear Katniss has been feeling. She pulls her knees up to her chest and Peeta holds tightly to Katniss' hand as she begins to push. He helps to sit her forward so that she push down and, after several attempts, the doctor tells them the baby's head is visible. Peeta looks at Katniss and squeezes her hand, giving her the encouragement she needs to go on.

Within minutes, the baby's head is out and the doctor invites Katniss to push one more time to help release the baby's shoulders from the birth canal. With a shout, he delivers a healthy, fully formed and perfect little boy. The baby's cries are loud and he sounds offended to be so rudely taken from his safe hiding place into the harsh lights of the hospital room. The doctor hands the baby straight to Katniss who lays him on her chest and "ohs" at him, sympathizing with him and telling him it will be alright. Peeta puts his arms around them both and begins to shed tears of relief. He is so happy and so proud. Finally, they have their baby and he is a fine child. Katniss has done it again. He kisses her on the lips and keeps his arms around them as they both take in this moment.

A little while later, once Katniss has rested and the baby has been fed, they decide on his name. Peeta has known for a long time what he wanted to call this baby...if it was a boy. He tells Katniss. There is a Latin word which means "painter", that is also the shorter form of the name given to a constellation of stars which, when translated from Latin, means the "painter's easel" – Equuleus Pictoris. Peeta wants to call their baby Pictor, or Pik for short. Katniss ponders the meaning of the name and considers its significance, to Peeta, to his creativity, to the unknown future which is yet to be painted on this child's life. She also considers that the name resembles Victor, with the V replaced with a P…for Peeta. Peeta is a Victor. He always will be in her eyes. Katniss agrees with Peeta. Their new baby's name will be Pictor Mellark, or Pik for short.

Peeta and Katniss spend the rest of the day lying with Pik in their arms, embracing the goodness wonder of eachother and the fate that had brought them together.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Pik

Katniss and Peeta have spent a restful night after Pik's birth, keeping him with them while the hospital staff carried on with their other duties. The medical team plan to do a more thorough check on Pik this morning. So far all seems well and he lies peacefully in Katniss' arms while Peeta dozes in the chair beside them. Peeta has not left Katniss' side. He promised her.

A doctor walks in and wakens them, telling Katniss and Peeta he needs to take Pik to examine him. Neither of them want the doctor to take Pik unless they go with him. The doctor decides he can perform part of the examination in the room while they look on. Katniss reluctantly hands Pik to him and. in spite of his fussing, the doctor does a perfunctory physical examination which reveals no problems. He then focuses on Pik's sight. Although newborn babies cannot see well, they react to light and, thankfully, all indications are that his sight is good. The doctor then tells Peeta and Katniss he will need to bring Pik to another area to test his hearing. Peeta tells Katniss to rest and says he will go with the doctor while he completes the examination. Peeta takes Pik in his arms and follows the doctor out of the room.

"I'm Dr. Davies, by the way" he says to Peeta.

Dr. Davies tells Peeta the test will be painless, but he will need to attach leads to Pik's forehead, the back of his neck and behind his shoulder using sticky pads. He is then going to place small earphone 'cups' over Pik's ears. He explains that the earphones make soft clicking sounds and the leads measure the response from the baby's ears. Peeta is watchful as Dr. Davies attaches the leads for the test. As the test is carried out, the doctor gives no indication of Pik's response and he continues to watch the screen while checking the results. When Dr. Davies finally completes his examination and removes the leads, he tells Peeta he can lift the baby off the table.

Peeta asks him how the test went and the doctor looks at him with some concern.

"These are just preliminary tests which can give irregular and inconclusive results. At the moment I would like to do some follow up testing in the next couple of weeks when any fluid in baby's ears may have cleared".

Peeta is confused.

"What does that mean?" he asks.

"Currently there is an indication that your baby's hearing may have been affected, but results are inconclusive at this stage. It will require further testing which I will organize today" says Dr. Davies.

Peeta feels as though someone has just hit him with a sledgehammer. Baby's hearing affected? Inconclusive? Further testing?

"Are you trying to tell me that Pik might have a hearing problem?" prompts Peeta.

"Yes. The test shows that he is not responding to sound but, as I said, we will need to do some follow up testing before we can decide conclusively".

The only word Peeta hears is "conclusively". The doctor excuses himself and suggests Peeta take Pik back to their room for now. He will make arrangements for the follow up testing as soon as possible. Holding Pik tighter, he walks blindly back to the room where Katniss is waiting, all the while thinking he cannot let Katniss see his concern, or even give a hint that anything is wrong, until the follow up testing is done. She will never forgive herself if Pik has been affected by the drugs she was forced to take and it Peeta's job to protect her from adversity. At least as long as that is possible.

"Well" says Katniss as Peeta comes back into the room. "How did it go?"

"Fine" Peeta manages, forcing himself to sound cheerful as she takes Pik into her arms.

"Peeta, that's wonderful" Katniss says smiling at him and then at Pik. Hopefully that means we can go home in a few days".

"I think they want to keep us a little bit longer just to be sure" he tells her.

"But, they have done all their tests and there is no reason for us to stay. I really want to get Pik home and I miss Prim so much, too" Katniss says.

"I know but, since we are here, I think it would be better to stay a bit longer rather than come all the way back for another check up in a couple of weeks" he says.

Katniss does not ask or wonder why Pik might need another check up so soon. She trusts Peeta and he is making sense in a way. It was a long trip from District 12 and the best specialists were in the Capitol. Better to stay a few more days than have to return too soon.

"Can we call my mother today? I would really like to talk to Prim and tell her about her new baby brother" she says.

"Of course. Your mother will want to know all about her new grandson and Prim will want to talk to her new baby brother". As soon as the words are out, Peeta wants to grab them back. Prim can talk, but can Pik hear? The next couple of weeks will be agonizing and somehow Peeta is going to have to find a way to tell Katniss why they are testing Pik again. The doctor had advised it could just be an irregularity, like fluid in Pik's ears, so Peeta is going to hold onto hope and won't tell Katniss until he is tested again. Then she will need to know. Hopefully, the news will be good and there will be no need for Peeta to worry about her reaction.


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Visitors

Katniss has spoken to her mother and made arrangements for her to bring Prim down to the Capitol. If they need to stay a few more days, then Katniss wants Prim to be close by and see her new baby brother. She wants them to be together as a family. Thankfully, they don't need to stay in the hospital to wait for the follow up testing and can stay in the apartment Gale had organized. It will be more private and comfortable there.

Peeta has continued to hide the concerns around Pik's hearing from Katniss. She is content believing that all is well with their new baby and Peeta doesn't want to take that happiness away from her. Not yet, anyway. He needs to carry the burden of uncertainty for a few more days and tries to focus on enjoying the moment with Katniss while they wait.

A nurse enters their room to announce an unexpected visitor. People are not allowed to visit without being vetted by staff first and only family members and close friends can visit. Peeta and Katniss wonder who it could be just as a tall figure appears in the doorway. Gale!

"Oh my God! Gale!" Katniss cries. She jumps from the bed and wraps her arms around him. Gale holds her tightly for a moment and then Katniss steps back to take a look at him. He is not in uniform and looks thinner than the last time she saw him. He has let his facial hair grow and is now sporting a beard which makes him look older. She takes in the dark circles under his eyes and the pallor of his skin. Gale looks tired.

Peeta is watching and gets up to greet Gale. He is holding Pik in his arms and Gale leans across to look at him. What he sees is another miracle that Katniss and Peeta have produced, perfect and precious. Peeta offers to let Gale hold him and makes the introduction.

"Meet Pictor Gale Everdeen Mellark" Peeta says.

Katniss looks at Peeta. They had not chosen a middle name for Pik, but Peeta has just done it for them, and Katniss is captivated by his generosity once more. Always the bigger and better person, Peeta was naming their child after the man who had rivalled him for Katniss' affections. She falls in love with him all over again.

Gale feels honoured. Katniss and Peeta did not need to give their child his name, but somehow Gale knows it is their way of saying "thank you".

"He's beautiful" says Gale.

Pik begins to stir and Katniss "shhh"s him, offering to take him out of Gale's arms while she sits back on the bed.

"How did you get here?" asks Katniss.

"Under a different identity" says Gale. "I told them I was your cousin and, to be honest, I couldn't stay away once I heard the news. He looks perfect". Gale had also been worried about the outcome of Katniss' pregnancy once he realized she had been pregnant when Snow captured her. He was relieved it had all gone so well.

"He is" says Katniss looking lovingly at Pik.

"Well, the doctors are still running some tests, but so far everything seems to be fine" says Peeta.

Gale looks at Peeta when he says this. He picks up some unease on Peeta's part and it makes him think that there is something more Peeta is not saying. Katniss seems oblivious to this and Gale decides he will get Peeta on his own, before he leaves, to see what else is going on. Just as they are about to ask Gale about his undercover search for Snow, the nurse enters the room again.

"You have another visitor" she says. "A lady with a little boy".

Katniss knows it's Annie.

Annie walks into the room with Finn in her arms and sees the gathering of people, not sure who the taller man is. It takes her a moment to recognize Gale just before she greets Katniss and gets her first look at the new addition to the Mellark family.

"Oh, Katniss, he's beautiful" she says.

Pik has quietened in her arms and Katniss can see Finn is desperate for Annie to put him down so he can get a closer look at this strange new creature.

"Baby" he says.

"Yes" says Annie. "This is Peeta and Katniss' new baby. Do you want to know what his name is?"

"Uh huh" says Finn.

Katniss introduces them.

"His name is Pictor Gale Everdeen Mellark" says Katniss.

Annie is immediately aware of the recognition that Katniss and Peeta have given to Gale when naming their son. It increases the respect she has for both of them.

"Oh, that's a lovely name" says Annie.

"Pikkor" says Finn.

"No, Pictor" says Annie.

Peeta chimes in. "It's OK Annie. We call him Pik for short".

"Pik, Pik, Pik, Pik, Pik" says Finn.

"OK, Finn. Now you know his name. What is Katniss and Peeta's other baby called?" Annie asks him.

"Pim" he says.

"Close enough" says Katniss.

The group sit and chat for a while about Pik, about when Prim is coming to see her new brother and also when they might be heading home. Katniss tells Annie they are staying for a few more days so the doctors can finish running tests and then they will head home to District 12. Katniss doesn't mention what tests they are running, she has left that in Peeta's capable hands, and Annie doesn't ask. Katniss is basking in this moment of new motherhood and if there was anything seriously wrong Katniss thinks they would know by now.

Soon, it is time for the guests to leave and Gale holds Pik one more time before returning him to Katniss to feed. She puts one arm around Gale and tells him they want him to keep in touch and also to take care of himself. She misses him. Peeta walks Gale out while Annie says her goodbyes to Katniss.

"Why are they running more tests on Pik?" Gale asks.

"They did the last test on him the day after he was born. It was a hearing test. The doctor said it was inconclusive and they would need to do it again in a few days" Peeta tells him.

"What does that mean?" Gale wonders.

"Katniss doesn't know" Peeta says warning Gale. "The doctor thinks his hearing might have been affected".

Gale feels like he has been sucker punched, much like Peeta felt when the doctor first gave him the news. Pik looks so perfect. Gale knows how this could have happened, but he asks Peeta anyway.

"Is this because of the drugs Katniss was given after she was injured?"

"Yes" Peeta says. "At least we think so. There's no other explanation right now".

Both of them stand there and, without a word between them, somehow acknowledge that a heavy price will need to be exacted if this is what Snow has done again to Katniss. Gale tells Peeta he wants to know the outcome of the tests when they are done. He has spent three months chasing his tail, as far as the Rebels are concerned, with very little to show for it except the opportunity to foil some minor plots. Even with his men in place, there has been no talk of Snow, only talk of Rebel efforts to disrupt Capitol services and programs. Gale is decisive about what he will do if the tests are conclusive. Peeta knows what he will do, too. Talking won't solve this problem if Pik can't hear.


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51: Diagnosis

Katniss mother has brought Prim down from District 12 to join Peeta and Katniss in their apartment. Primrose is fascinated with Pik and stays close to Katniss' side while her mother tends to the new baby. She wants to be involved in what is going on and Katniss cautiously lets her help out when she can. Prim can't say Pik yet and calls him "PiPi". Peeta and Katniss laugh at her sweet attempts to engage her brother and look after him. She seems like a very concerned big sister. Of course, Prim is getting plenty of attention, too. They have missed her badly during their time in the Capitol.

Katniss' mother revels in her role as Grandmother to both Pik and Prim. Katniss is beginning to see her in a new light and she is developing a real appreciation of her mother again. Katniss had always been closer to her father and when he died and their mother zoned out in her grief, Katniss thought they would never be able to bridge the gap in their relationship. But her mother's attempts to be there for her now, helping to support Katniss and Peeta with their young family, speaks volumes. Katniss tries to respond with graciousness and love.

The day arrives for Pik's follow up test and Peeta is nervous. They have been so taken up with caring for the new baby, and their reunion with Prim, that he hasn't taken the time to talk to Katniss and tell her what she needs to know. Katniss' mother decides to take Prim into the Capitol for a few hours as a treat while Peeta and Katniss prepare for their last visit to the hospital.

"Katniss" Peeta begins as Katniss puts Pik down for a short nap. "We need to talk".

Katniss is still distracted with tidying up and so she replies "What is it, Peeta?"

"I need you to stop what you are doing and sit down for a minute" he tells her.

"Why?" Katniss replies still going about what she is doing.

"Katniss, it's important".

Katniss looks at Peeta and realizes he is serious. She stops and sits beside him on the couch.

"Remember when I took Pik for his last test with the doctor…the hearing test?"

"Yes" says Katniss wondering what Peeta is going to say next.

"Well, I didn't want to tell you then, but the doctor said to me at the time that the tests were inconclusive".

"What does that mean?" she replies, trying to ignore the sense of alarm growing in her gut.

"I asked the same thing" Peeta tells her. "The doctor said Pik might have fluid in his ears after the birth and it could cause a false reading of the test". He is reluctant to go on.

"And?" Katniss prompts him.

"Pik may have a problem with his hearing" Peeta finally gets out.

After Peeta says this, Katniss feels the way she did at the announcement of the Quarter Quell. She is having trouble comprehending what Peeta has just said. It is like the stuff of her worst nightmares, and she doesn't know how to react. Her first response is to want to run, to get away from something she doesn't want to face. Fear, anger, disbelief, desperation all spin in a giant whirlpool of emotions as she gets up and turns on Peeta.

"Why didn't you tell me that after Pik had the first test?!" she shouts at him.

"Because the doctor wasn't sure and I didn't want to worry you" he tells her.

"Worry me?! You didn't want to worry me?! It's my fault if Pik has a hearing problem. I need to take responsibility for that. That is a consequence of my actions. You can't protect me from myself, Peeta" she says full of anger and rage. Katniss directs her rage at herself and at Peeta for trying to protect her again.

"Katniss, it is not your fault" Peeta tries to calm her down. "You didn't know…about Snow, about the pregnancy. You needed those drugs to recover, otherwise you wouldn't be here either! We always knew there was a chance they could have affected the baby, even if we hoped that wasn't the case. If there is a problem with Pik's hearing we'll deal with it. The main thing is he is healthy in every other way and we are going to bring him home".

Peeta's words resonate somewhere deep inside Katniss. They had not planned for any of this to happen and so could not be fully prepared for the outcome. Peeta was not blaming her and the testing still needed to be finalized.

"I don't want to be the cause of Pik's suffering" Katniss confesses to Peeta.

He takes her in his arms.

"You're not, Katniss" he tells her. "The suffering we've all endured can be blamed on one person, and that person isn't you. It's Snow. He's the real enemy and we're not going to let him win this time either. Pik is perfect, we love him, and if there is a problem we will deal with it like we always do, together. First, we need to go back to the hospital and get the final test results".

An hour later, Peeta and Katniss return to the hospital for the final test to be completed. The doctor is waiting for them and explains the process again to Peeta and for the first time to Katniss. They hold hands tightly as Dr. Davies conducts the test. It doesn't take long. When it is finally over, Dr. Davies turns to them and clears his throat.

"I am sorry to have to tell you this, but the indications from this second test are that there is a problem with Pik's hearing, probably due to the drugs administered during your pregnancy".

Peeta asks him "How much of a problem?" as there must be degrees to these things. Maybe Pik can still hear something, anything.

"Your baby is profoundly deaf" says Dr. Davies, not mincing words. "There has been no response on testing and x-rays and a scan will probably confirm what I am telling you. I will organize them for this afternoon".

Katniss can't breathe. She holds her hand to her neck and tells Peeta.

"I can't breathe. Peeta, I can't breathe" she says gasping.

Peeta stands in front of her and tells her again

"Katniss, we are going to get through this. Pik needs us". Taking her in his arms he begs her quietly, "Please…stay with me".

Dr. Davies has pulled up a chair for Katniss and offers to get her a glass of water. Peeta kneels beside her and tells Katniss to take deep breaths to try and calm herself down. He has lifted Pik from the table and is holding him in his arms. Katniss looks at Pik and her eyes fill with tears.

"He can't hear me. He can't hear me. I have been talking to him and singing to him and he can't hear me" Katniss laments as tears spill down her cheeks.

"He can feel you, Katniss, and he can see you. You are his mother and he needs you. Your touch, your smile, your smell, your kisses, the warmth of your body. Pik needs all these things from you and because of them he will know you, even if he can't hear your voice".

Peeta recognizes they have to start at the beginning, with the basics. Pik was only a newborn baby and all he needed right now was their presence, the simple things to ensure he was cared for and loved. There was so much more they had to learn about his condition and how it could be treated. The main thing was that they had him and he had parents who would respond to his needs. Peeta was confident Katniss would prove herself again and that they would get through this together.

Katniss absorbs Peeta's words and her breathing becomes more normal. She takes the glass of water from Dr. Davies and, after gathering herself, takes Pik from Peeta's arms and holds him close. Peeta wraps his arms around them both. He has had time to prepare for this moment, Katniss has not. Now, he needs to prepare to inform Gale about the outcome. It will be done before they return home to District 12.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52: Determined

Peeta and Katniss are preparing to return to District 12 two days after the doctor has given them the diagnosis. Dr Davies arranged for the xray and scan which showed the inner structure of Pik's ears had failed to develop. There was no possibility of repairing the damage the drugs had done. Katniss has operated in a kind of daze since the diagnosis, still trying to digest the news. She holds Pik closer and touches him more often, kissing him all over so he knows how much she loves him and how sorry she is that this has happened to him. Peeta watches her and sees that his words have had an impact on her. Katniss is still very teary, but saves her tears for the times when she and Peeta are alone. These are the times Katniss feels free to express her grief. Peeta just holds her and sometimes his tears mingle with hers as they share their sorrow. They will rally, but both of them need to experience this moment before they can begin to move on. This is not what they wanted for their beautiful baby boy and it is something they can't fix. Peeta and Katniss must come to terms with Pik's diagnosis and decide how they will move forward. And move forward they will. Peeta is determined.

Peeta is also going to hide a message for Gale in the apartment which will give him the news of Pik's diagnosis. He hopes to hear from Gale, when the opportunity arises, and get an indication of what Gale intends to do. He knows it will be severe, and Peeta is prepared to support Gale in whatever decision he makes.

Katniss' mother is the only other person who knows about Pik for now. She is devastated as well. She tells Katniss that there are ways to work around some of the difficulties Pik may have and says she will send them some information so that they can learn more about what they can do to help him. Katniss is grateful for her mother's intervention. She really doesn't know where to start except for taking Peeta's advice.

In spite of her daze, Katniss' protective instincts have come to the fore. Metaphorically, she stands in front of Pik, just as she stood in front of Gale when he was being whipped in the Square in District 12. Anyone with ill intent will have to go through Katniss first to get to this child and her "go ahead" stance will protect him…even if it means coming to harm herself. She is not afraid.

Prim, of course, doesn't understand that Pik can't hear her and continues to speak to him in her sweet baby talk, telling him all the things she thinks he should know. She also tries to engage Katniss and Peeta who have become more silent since Pik was born. Katniss' mother has noticed this. She decides to bring it up with Katniss.

"Katniss, I'm not sure if you realize this, but you and Peeta have been talking less since Pik was born" she says.

"What do you mean, talking less?" Katniss asks curiously.

"You are not talking as much. Pik may not be able to hear, but that shouldn't stop you talking".

"I hadn't noticed" says Katniss genuinely unaware of the lack of conversation. She had been so focused on the importance of touch for Pik that she hadn't considered how silent she had become.

"Well, I think Prim has. I can see her trying to engage you and Peeta in conversation. She needs to hear you and you need to keep talking to her. You don't want her to suffer because of what has happened to Pik" her mother says.

This is too much for Katniss.

"So now I am to blame for both my children suffering?!" says Katniss harshly.

"No, Katniss" her mother responds. "It's not about you".

Katniss feels it is about her. Her mother is judging her and criticizing her for what she is, or is not, doing. Katniss is angry that her mother is pointing out the fact that she can't seem to find the balance in caring for her two very young children.

"Well, it was all about you after Dad died!" Katniss retorts. She knows this is hurtful, but Katniss is hurting, too, and lashes out anyway.

Katniss' mother is silenced. After hearing the last part of the exchange, Peeta intervenes.

"Katniss, please. We're all struggling to come to terms with the situation. Lashing out at each other won't help anybody right now".

Peeta. Always the intermediary, the peacekeeper. Maybe he was in the wrong profession after all. Peeta should have become the Peacekeeper. That would have suited him, Katniss thinks bitterly.

"It will help me!" says Katniss.

Peeta realizes that there is no reasoning with Katniss right now, so he suggests that the two of them go out for a walk and get a bite to eat, giving them all some respite. Katniss needs time to calm down and think about what her mother has said. So does Peeta. They hadn't realized what they had been doing and it was important. This is their last night in the Capitol and Peeta feels that they both need to get out and escape from their concerns, just for a little while. He tells her to get ready and she tells him she needs to feed Pik before they can go anywhere. Katniss' mother makes herself scarce to give Katniss some space. She is happy to mind the children so the couple can have some time to themselves. They will get little enough of that now.

Katniss is still fuming at her mother as she gets ready. She angrily changes into some loose trousers and a white shirt, pulling a throw around her shoulders. It's Spring, but the evenings are cool and she needs to feel the warmth right now. She needs to feel Peeta's warmth. When she has finished preparing herself, she goes in to see Pik and gently strokes his face as he sleeps. Katniss bends down to kiss his cheek and then takes Prim in her arms and tells her to be good for her Grandmother. Prim gives her a big hug and kiss and then becomes clingy as Katniss tries to put her down. Peeta sweeps Prim up, hugging her and tickling her to make her laugh. He doesn't hesitate to hand her over to Katniss' mother after kissing her goodbye and hurries Katniss out the door.

They walk hand in hand and side by side, not really taking in the scenery as much as they are taking in one another's mood. The cool air is soothing and settles Katniss, causing her take Peeta's arm and link closely with him as they walk. As they pass the corner of a building, Katniss pulls Peeta into the side street and hides them both in the shadows. She leans against the wall of the building, breathing heavily, and draws Peeta close. He doesn't hesitate to lean in and kiss her. Katniss doesn't want Peeta to stop. She sees desire spring up in his eyes. Peeta knows it is too soon and tries to resist Katniss' entreaties

"Katniss…" Peeta says.

"Peeta" she breathes.

"It's too soon" Peeta tells her.

"I want you so much" Katniss says pulling him closer.

Peeta is conflicted. He wants Katniss, too. She kisses him deeply.

"Katniss, we can't" Peeta says as he tries to pull away. He understands that Katniss needs a release from her pain. He knows she needs comfort.

"I love you" Katniss coaxes him.

Katniss will have to accept the comfort of his words for now.

"I love you, too, Katniss" he tells her. "But, I want you at the right time, in the right way" Peeta says resting his head against hers.

Katniss knows he is thinking of her. But, she is desperate for the comfort that only Peeta can offer her. She needs him. Peeta knows. He feels the same. Aware of every scar on her body, appreciating every curve, Peeta will never stop wanting her. He breathes deeply, trying to stifle his desire as they gently break apart. Peeta keeps her hand in his.

He leads Katniss back onto the main street, where they find a small anonymous café and order some tasty Capitol food. Tomorrow they will return to District 12. It will be another new beginning. For now, Peeta hopes that Gale will get his note soon and that, somehow, they will quickly bring the nightmare of Snow's existence to an end.


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53: Deliberation

The following day Peeta and Katniss return to District 12. Katniss' mother has kept her distance and accepts that Katniss was not ready to hear what she was telling her. The fact is, it's going to take a long time for Katniss to come to terms with Pik's diagnosis and her mother just hopes Peeta will be strong enough for the both of them. Seeing her off at the stop in District 4, Peeta and Katniss travel the rest of the way alone, mostly in silence, as the children sleep.

When they arrive in District 12, Haymitch is there to meet them. He is excited to see the new addition to the family and, as soon as Prim sees him, she puts her arms out to get a big hug. Haymitch obliges, of course. He loves Prim and has missed her over the last couple of weeks. Katniss has Pik in her arms and Haymitch moves across to take a peek at the new baby. He is all smiles, but can see Peeta and Katniss are tired, so he waits for them to gather themselves before asking

"How about an introduction?"

Peeta takes Pik from Katniss and holds him so Haymitch can get a good look at him.

"His name is Pictor Gale Everdeen Mellark" Peeta says.

"Whoa, that's quite a name you got there, little buddy" says Haymitch smiling.

"We call him Pik for short" says Peeta.

"Well, that'll make it easier" Haymitch replies, wondering about the choice of name. They obviously have given Gale his due in naming Pik after him and Haymitch wonders whose idea that was. He decides there will be plenty of time for conversation tomorrow and helps to gather the bags as they all head back to the Victor's Village.

Haymitch notices Katniss is unusually quiet, but guesses going to the Capitol for Pik's birth must have been quite an ordeal. He doesn't want to add to it by asking too many questions so, once they get back to the house, he takes his leave and promises to catch up with them first thing in the morning.

Katniss is not looking forward to it. She's not looking forward to having to give anyone the explanation of Pik's diagnosis. How can she, when it means confessing her own part in what has happened to Pik? She knows it is not her fault, yet it was her body and her actions that helped produce the outcome and somehow that makes her responsible. Peeta had no part to play in the outcome. He can afford to be more self assured in dealing with the situation.

Peeta can see Katniss is tired and not in the mood for small talk. He helps to get Prim ready for bed and it doesn't take her long to settle into her cot which is now in the room beside Peeta and Katniss. Peeta has done it up for her so she can feel cosy and they are using Prim's old cradle for Pik. After Katniss has fed him, she lays him down to sleep. He will be up again in a few hours, so she needs to get some rest. Peeta gently rocks the cradle while Katniss gets ready for bed.

It doesn't take long for the two of them to draw close as they try to wind down from the day.

"I love you" Peeta tells Katniss as he kisses her gently.

"Love you" Katniss replies just before she turns over to go to sleep.

Peeta holds her close. He wants her to rest and recover. The two of them fall into an exhausted sleep while they wait for Pik to call them to attention again. It won't be long.

Gale has made the time to return to the apartment and has found Peeta's note. The news contained in the note is devastating and Gale can't even imagine how Peeta and Katniss must feel. Full of wrath, Gale decides to go immediately and see Paylor. He is ready to devise the next step in their plan.

Gale walks in to Paylor's office unannounced and she does not attempt to usher him out. He obviously has something to tell her and looks extremely agitated.

"We need to talk" Gale tells her.

"Have you got news on Snow?" she asks him.

"No, not yet. But what I have got is news on Katniss and Peeta and it changes everything" Gale says with emotion.

Paylor waits for him to go on.

"Peeta and Katniss had their new baby a month ago. I found today that the child is profoundly deaf. That is a direct consequence of the drugs administered to Katniss after Snow had captured her and allowed her wound to fester".

Paylor is shocked. She had no idea. She had heard that Katniss was pregnant again, but assumed all was well. There had been no word of the outcome until now.

"I'm sorry, Gale". Paylor didn't know what else to say.

"So am I. The time for undercover operations is over. We haven't been able to get any useful information on Snow's whereabouts over the last few months, so I propose we go with my original suggestion to get the information we need" he tells her.

Paylor has already rejected this proposal, but the situation has changed. She knows she can't stall forever in the hope that Snow will reveal himself. And, if she doesn't act, Gale will take the situation out of her hands.

"Gale, I rejected your proposal the first time round thinking we could avoid more bloodshed. I know that is no longer the case. This situation has to be brought to an end once and for all. I am going to agree to your proposal on the basis that I set the ground rules" Paylor says.

"We need Plutarch on board for this, too" Gale tells her "and we will need to inform the Victors as well".

Paylor agrees. The Capitol Games are to go ahead, with the children already chosen…except for one.

"I will inform the necessary people and we will need to meet here again in one week to help formulate the plans for the Games" Paylor says.

Gale needs to talk to Peeta. He will be required to return to the Capitol along with the other Victors. As a nursing mother, Katniss will not have to attend. He is not sure about Annie. Haymitch, of course, will also need to come along with Johanna, Beetee and Enobaria. The reason for this is that Tributes must have a Mentor. It is written into the rules of the Games in order to help create a sense of giving the Tributes a fighting chance. Paylor intends to use the same rulebook, only this time the Mentors will not be their friends, but their enemies. Of course, there are no Mentors in the Capitol because Capitol children were never forced to enter the arena.

The aim, though, is not to get these children killed, but to get the prisoners and the rest of the Capitol rebels talking. It's not a difficult decision for Gale to make, nor Paylor at this stage. Neither of them had a vote at the table with Coin, but if they had, they would have voted with Katniss. Gale has always wanted these people to know the suffering his own people endured. This will test the resilience of the Rebels and, in particular, the resilience of Coriolanus Snow.


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Proposal

Peeta and Katniss are settling into some kind of routine nearly two weeks after their return from the Capitol. Peeta had seen Haymitch the morning after their return. He wanted to save Katniss the heartache of having to reveal the news. Haymitch had reacted badly, of course, and Peeta had gone on to tell him about Gale's visit to the hospital and how he was expecting to hear from Gale any day now. Haymitch poured them both a drink after this, but it wasn't the celebratory one they had been hoping to have. It was more an act of commiseration and it wasn't long before Haymitch decided to pour himself another.

Gale has Paylor's permission to return to District 12 and see Katniss and Peeta. He wants to explain the situation to them himself. Gale knows calling Peeta back to the Capitol so soon after Pik's birth will be difficult for Katniss and he isn't sure how Peeta will react to his plan. Peeta had been resistant to Coin's original idea of putting the Capitol's children into the Arena, but Pik's diagnosis had changed everything. Maybe it had changed Peeta's mind, too. Gale wonders if the fact that Katniss now has children of her own might alter her thinking in relation to these Games. What Gale does know is that the Games will go ahead regardless of how the Victors feel.

Gale returns to District 12 in a military vehicle which arrives at the Barracks late at night. He wants to see Peeta and Haymitch right away, but decides it would be better to wait until morning when everyone is rested. It will be hard enough to confront the stakes of his next plan and Gale wants them all to have clear heads when they discuss what is about to happen. He's not sure how Katniss will feel about her exclusion. She has as much, if not more, invested in the outcome. At the same time, Katniss can be unpredictable. Gale remembers how she reacted to his plan to bomb the area around the Nut, telling him it was always personal, and then how single minded she was in her desire for revenge after Prim had died. He really doesn't know how she will react.

The following morning, Gale decides to visit Haymitch first who is surprised to see Gale standing on his doorstep. Haymitch ushers Gale inside and offers him a drink. It's too early, so Gale turns him down, but Haymitch is in the mood for some liquor and doesn't hestitate to pour himself one. He is looking a little the worse for wear and Gale wonders if it is because Haymitch has not taken the news of Pik's diagnosis too well either.

Their conversation is short and to the point. Gale tells Haymitch that Coin's original idea is being resurrected and they are going to utilize the Games to get information from the Capitol Rebels about Snow's whereabouts. Paylor has agreed. The Capitol's children are going into the Arena and Plutarch is already planning the setting for the Games. He is fast tracking the building of the Arena and, as the last head Gamemaker, he should have plenty of ideas on how to create a good show. Haymitch doesn't need any convincing and agrees. Gale goes on to explain that the former Victors are to become Mentors to the Capitol children. Haymitch sits and shakes his head. How is it possible to mentor your enemy when the last thing you want is for them to survive? Gale reminds Haymitch the goal of the Games is to recapture Snow. If this happens, the Games could be brought to a stop at any time. Haymitch isn't sure the bloodlust of the Districts will be that easy to manipulate once the Games have started. They obviously have a lot more to talk about.

Gale wants Haymitch to call Peeta over before he sees Katniss. He wants to gauge Peeta's reaction to his plan and get some idea of how Katniss might respond. Haymitch goes across to the house on the pretext of needing Peeta to help him with something and they leave Katniss wondering what could be so important at this time in the morning.

Peeta is not surprised to see Gale and knows he has a plan. Gale tells Peeta what he needs to know and explains that he had floated the idea with Paylor in the past, around the time Katniss was captured. He reveals that convincing Rebel prisoners the Games were being planned was how he had gotten the information he needed to rescue Katniss. That is enough to convince Peeta. Rather than being shocked or dismayed, he reacts with steely determination. He wants to bring this thing to an end once and for all and if this is the only way they can do that, then Peeta agrees.

"Let's do it" he says to Gale without hesitation.

Gale lets Peeta know that Katniss will not be expected to take part and wonders how she might react. Peeta wonders himself. Katniss had supported the original proposal when Coin had made it, but a lot had happened since then and now they had children of their own. Some of Katniss' grief over Prim's death had dissipated, but now with Pik's diagnosis he really didn't know what her response might be. Peeta tells Gale that he will need to talk to Katniss himself.


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Katniss

The three of them head over to the house to see Katniss. She is shocked to see Gale with Haymitch and Peeta when they return. She had no idea he was in District 12 again. Katniss doesn't know if Gale has heard about Pik yet and holds back from giving him a hug when she sees him. She feels self-conscious about Pik's diagnosis and how people might react once they know…even Gale. He immediately tries to reassure her.

"Katniss, I know" says Gale.

Katniss feels like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

"No, you don't know. You don't know anything" she retorts.

"I know, Katniss. It's OK. It's not your fault" he says.

Katniss' eyes begin to fill with tears. It is her fault. It's her fault Gale is here now, too. She knows. It will always be her fault when people are sick and dead and dying.

Katniss remains still. Like a wounded animal she wants him to tend to her, but she is also afraid. Afraid to let her emotions go, even with her old friend. Gale moves towards her.

"No" she says as she moves back. She doesn't want to confront Gale or her emotions. She wants to escape right now. Peeta senses Katniss' response and decides to step in.

"Katniss and I are going to take a walk to Prim's grave and get some fresh air" he tells them.

Katniss agrees and Peeta asks Haymitch and Gale to wait for them while they go out. Pik is asleep upstairs and Prim will be fine with Haymitch and Gale to keep and eye on her.

Katniss gets ready and she and Peeta head out the door. It's a warm Spring day and Katniss holds Peeta's hand tightly as they walk. Both of them are silent and let the birdsong, along with the scents of Spring, wash over them. Prim's grave is lovely at this time of year, with the flowers in full bloom. It is colourful and the scene is peaceful, so unlike what is going on in Katniss' mind right now.

"I can't face him" Katniss says.

"I don't understand" says Peeta.

Katniss feels damaged. She feels she has damaged their child, too.

"I was always strong around Gale. I always felt like I was in control somehow. Now, I don't know how to face him…as someone who is weak, damaged".

"You are not weak, Katniss. You are not damaged. Neither is Pik. Both of you are perfect and Gale will take you as he finds you. He loves you for who you are, just like I do" Peeta says.

Katniss can't accept this.

"I don't love myself, Peeta. I feel so ashamed about what has happened". Tears well up in Katniss eyes.

Peeta takes Katniss in his arms. He knows she feels ashamed. The fact that she can't face Gale right now tells him that the pain in Katniss runs deep. He doesn't know if Gale's plan is going to ease any of that pain.

"Gale has a plan, Katniss. He has a plan to recapture Snow. That's why he is here".

Katniss tries to gather herself.

"What plan?" she asks.

"A plan that will bring an end to this suffering once and for all" Peeta tells her.

"Nothing will change what has happened to Pik" Katniss says.

"I know" says Peeta. "But killing Snow will ensure nothing like this can ever happen again".

"How is he going to kill Snow?" Katniss wonders.

"Gale has a plan to capture him. Paylor has agreed to his plan and so have I. Haymitch, too. You don't have to be involved. In fact, you have been excused, but I think you need to hear what Gale has to say" Peeta tells her.

Katniss agrees to hear Gale out and the two of them return to the house. Katniss has gathered herself, but stays close to Peeta's side and keeps her hand in his when they return. This is the only way she can feel strong right now. Peeta is her rock.

"I told Katniss you have a plan to recapture Snow" says Peeta.

"I want him dead" says Katniss.

Gale explains.

"Remember when Coin called you all together to vote on a way to avoid more bloodshed in the aftermath of the Rebellion? Well, Paylor has agreed to institute those Games…the ones with the Capitol's children".

Katniss looks at Peeta. He just nods. Katniss knows that means Peeta agrees.

"How is that going to help us recapture Snow?" Katniss asks.

"We hope it will force the hand of the Capitol Rebels and they will give up information about Snow's whereabouts. Threatening the Capitol prisoners with the Games was how I got the information that helped me locate you after you were captured" Gale tells her.

Katniss knows that information saved her life. It had saved Pik's life, too. She can also see that Peeta, Haymitch and Gale are all in agreement. If there was any other way Katniss knows they would have tried it. None of them wanted to take human life needlessly. She just wished it didn't require more children being forced into the Games…even Capitol children. Snow was going to make his own people pay for his arrogance and treachery. It was his fault it had come to this, no one else's, Katniss thinks with some clarity.

"How will you select the Tributes?" Katniss asks.

"They have already been chosen during the earlier operation with the prisoners. All except one. There was one prisoner who came forward to give us information. He has been released and his daughter excused from the Games".

"How will you replace the missing Tribute?" she says.

"President Snow has a granddaughter…Ebony. She will be the final Tribute" Gale tells her.

That seems fitting to Katniss, but at the same time she remembers the fear, the sheer terror of being forced into the Games. Katniss tries to free herself of any empathy she might feel toward this girl or the other Tributes. She doesn't know, of course, how much this child had admired her during the Games, how much she wanted to be like Katniss and how threatened she felt by her Grandfather when he banned all images of the Mockingjay.

Gale goes on.

"Katniss, the rulebook requires that the Tributes must have Mentors. You have been excused from being a Mentor, but Peeta will need to come back to the Capitol with me to discuss the Games and choose his Tributes as well".

Katniss knows she has enough to contend with right now and does not argue with Gale on this point. Peeta and Gale are both relieved. But Katniss is concerned about Peeta. He is not normally an aggressor. She had seen that side of him after his hijacking and it frightened her. Pik's diagnosis had affected them all, but none of this would change that outcome. She needed to talk to Peeta.

Peeta interjects.

"Katniss, I will only be gone for a few days this time. It's going to take a while to build the Arena so I will be back in the meantime" he tells her.

"You won't be going back to the Capitol without me the next time" Katniss tells him. She needs to be there. She needs to make sure Peeta will be OK.

"Katniss…" he says.

"No. I am going with you. The children can come, too. Gale can organize the accommodation, can't you, Gale?" Katniss says.

Gale feels he needs to give Katniss this. If she is not involved in Mentoring, he needs to give her the option to be involved in some way…even if it is just to support Peeta.

"Yes" Gale tells her.

Peeta doesn't want Katniss to have to experience any part of the Games. She seems so fragile right now.

"Then, it's decided" says Katniss. Peeta will go back to the Capitol with Gale for now and the next time she will be with him.

"Just so you know" says Gale "the Games could be called off at any time if we get the information we need and Snow ends up back in our custody".

That would be the best possible outcome for everyone, Katniss thinks. For now, the planning will go ahead and Peeta will go back to the Capitol.

"


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Response

Peeta has taken his leave of Katniss and the children to travel back to the Capitol with Gale and Haymitch. It was an emotional moment for all of them. Katniss had held Peeta for a long time when Gale arrived to collect him and she couldn't seem to let him go. The fact that they were parting only for a short while was reassuring, but it was Peeta who had to reluctantly break her hold by gently kissing her and promising Katniss he would be back in a couple of days.

The first meeting in the Capitol has been arranged for the morning after their arrival. As Peeta and Haymitch had arrived late they would not see the other Victors until then. Gale wakes Peeta with breakfast the next morning, which the Victors will be taking in their rooms. Paylor wants as little interaction as possible between them until she can explain the situation, and the ground rules, to them herself. Peeta and Haymitch have been given a preliminary hearing thanks to Gale's visit, but that was necessary to ensure Katniss would be on board with the planning as well. If there was anyone who could cause a problem with the planning, it was Katniss.

Gale arrives to collect Peeta and ushers him into the same room where they'd had that first meeting with Coin over two years ago. They are back to ground zero in relation to Snow and the aftermath of the Rebellion. It seems the whole of Panem is stuck in some kind of time warp, even though people's lives have moved on. Coriolanus Snow is keeping them here and Peeta wonders how different their lives could have been if he had just died when he was supposed to.

All the Victors are present and accounted for, even Annie. Peeta nods in her direction and takes his seat. The group is silent and waits for Paylor to explain the reason for gathering them all again today.

"I have called you all here today for a very important reason. Some of you may already know that we received shocking news recently that Coriolanus Snow did not die in the aftermath of Coin's assassination".

The room is silent. Peeta, Haymitch and Annie all know about Snow. Beetee's suspicions had been aroused when Gale originally asked him to interfere with the communications systems a few months ago, but Johanna and Enobaria had no idea. No one would want to set Johanna off unnecessarily and Enobaria was never counted as one of them anyway.

Johanna is incredulous.

"What do you mean, Snow isn't dead?!" she says.

"We thought he was dead, but his body was never recovered" says Paylor.

Johanna reacts with fury.

"You never recovered his body? And then led us to believe he was dead?! Are you serious?! That means he's had all this time to continue plotting with the Capitol Rebels how he can regain power!" Johanna huhs at Paylor. "You know what I think? I think the whole Rebellion was a farce and so is your Government!" Johanna shouts.

"The Government couldn't afford to let the word get out about Snow. He may have been dead. We just didn't know for sure. If the Government had admitted that, there would have been anarchy" Paylor tells her.

"Anarchy is what you deserve" Johanna replies sarcastically.

Haymitch steps in.

"I think we all need to calm down" he says. "The fact is Snow's survival shocked everyone and it's only recently any of us knew that he wasn't dead. Katniss and Peeta are the ones who have paid the highest price so far for the Government's failure to admit this, and that includes their failure to attempt to find Snow. Gale is the person who discovered and confirmed Snow is still alive".

Gale enters the discussion.

"Only some of you know that Snow surreptitiously captured Katniss nearly a year ago. Just prior to that we had become aware of a new threat against her and were working to find out the source of that threat. None of us, in our wildest dreams, assumed Snow might still be alive. There came a point where we decided a plan needed to be devised to get the Capitol Rebels, especially the prisoners, talking so we could discover who was behind the threat. Incredibly, the intelligence we gained led us back to Snow. We had him within our grasp but Katniss was ill when we rescued her and needed immediate medical attention. We had to leave without capturing Snow and ever since we have been conducting undercover operations to try to locate him. Unfortunately, we have come up with nothing. That means is the original plan we devised now needs to be resurrected".

Paylor continues.

"The original plan that Gale is talking about involved informing the Capitol prisoners that the Games suggested by Coin were going to be held and that the Tributes would be selected from among their own children. Gale carried out a "mock" reaping and that generated a response from one of the prisoners which led us to Snow. Since we were unable to capture him at the time, and he continues to elude us now, we intend to institute that plan again…only this time it will be for real".

The group around the table has remained silent until now. Beetee finally speaks up.

"So it is your intention to hold Capitol Games with the Tributes already selected".

"Yes" says Paylor. "We will go with the current Tributes, except for one who was excused due to the information her father provided. The one who was excused will be replaced with President Snow's granddaughter".

Johanna barks out a laugh which indicates her approval of this ironic twist to the Games.

"Good" she says.

Paylor continues.

"The reason you are all here is because the rule book states that Tributes must have Mentors and the surviving Victors are to be those Mentors".

"You want us to mentor the Capitol's children?" asks Johanna incredulously.

"Yes" states Paylor. "Katniss has been excused due to the recent birth of the Mellark's new son, but the rest of you will be required to play a part. There will be four Tributes to every Victor and we will choose them today".

"I'm not sure what you expect us to do" Annie finally contributes. She has a great deal of sympathy for Katniss and Peeta, especially after hearing the news from Katniss' mother about Pik's diagnosis. Annie also feels, in some way, the Capitol must pay for its crimes…she had lost her wonderful husband in the fight against Snow and now has a son who will never know his father. She is much stronger since Finn's birth and wants a better future for them all.

"We need you to answer any questions they may have, be honest with them about their chances of survival and help them to focus on their strengths in the arena. I need to remind you all, this is about recapturing Snow and not killing Capitol children. If we get information in the meantime to do with Snow's whereabouts then the Games will be called off" Paylor tells them all.

"Will they still get training?" Peeta asks. He can't imagine going into the Arena without any kind of training. At least there won't be any Careers to threaten them, unlike the Games he and Katniss had been forced into.

"Yes" says Paylor. "There will be two weeks of training before the Games and you will begin your mentoring then as well. You will choose your Tributes now. They will each be given a number and when your mentoring begins you will be told their first names only. We will be televising the Games as usual, though it won't be required viewing, so giving the Tributes numbers will ensure there can be no backlash against their families by the general population. The first names are important for you Mentors to know as a name provides the humanity for each Tribute and we don't want to lose sight of who we are or what we fought for in the beginning".

Gale brings forward the bowl with the Tribute numbers. The selection begins.

The Mentors take it in turn, one by one, to choose a name each from the glass bowl. Peeta goes first and, after four selections, each of the Mentors has the numbers of their Tributes. For Peeta they are 16, 9, 3 and 13, for Haymitch – 21, 2, 5 and 10, for Annie – 17, 15, 6 and 23, for Johanna – 18,7, 14 and 8, for Beetee – 1, 22, 19 and 11, finally for Enobaria – 12, 4, 24 and 20.

Paylor asks if there are any questions and when no one replies, she dismisses them telling them the Capitol will arrange for their return once the Arena has been built, giving a two to three month timeline. She just hopes Plutarch can work his magic in that time or that, alternatively, someone reveals the whereabouts of Snow.


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Concern

Peeta and Haymitch return late the following evening to District 12. They carry with them the burden of the upcoming Games, but Peeta doesn't want to think about that now. He just wants to see Katniss and hold her. Katniss is the one who helps to make sense of his world.

As Peeta walks into the house, he sees a light in the kitchen and food set out on the table. Katniss has prepared a supper for his return. Peeta wants to see her and the children first, so he quietly climbs the stairs trying not to wake them. He looks into Prim's room and sees she is sleeping soundly with her feet peeking out from under the covers. This is how she always sleeps, even in the winter. Prim doesn't like to be confined. She is a lot like Katniss.

Next, Peeta heads into their room and sees Pik in his cradle, arms stretched above his head, sleeping peacefully. Peeta looks across to the bed, but there is no sign of Katniss. The bed is still made, so Katniss hasn't gone to bed after putting the children to sleep. He hopes she has just fallen asleep somewhere else while she was waiting for him to come home. Peeta goes from room to room turning on the lights and searching for Katniss. He heads back downstairs and, when he reaches the front of the house, Peeta finds her sleeping on the sofa in the front parlour. She has a blanket pulled up over her legs and entwined in the fingers of her right hand is the locket Peeta had given her. Peeta kneels down beside Katniss and gently takes the locket from her hand. He leans across and kisses her as Katniss begins to stir.

"Peeta? Oh my God, Peeta!" Katniss throws her arms around him. She starts to kiss him – first on his lips, then his eyelids, his forehead and his cheeks – delighted to have him home. They hold each other for a long moment before Peeta draws Katniss up from the sofa. He begins to kiss her more deeply and, with only a light nightdress covering her body, Peeta soon feels her response. Katniss quickly becomes urgent in her efforts to remove whatever barriers stand between her flesh and his until finally no obstacles remain between them. Peeta is going to be hers and she is going to be his…in the right way, at the right time.

Their reunion has been blissful and once again serves to strengthen the bond between them. In the intervening months, after Peeta's return, this helps Katniss slowly begin to come to terms with Pik's diagnosis. Peeta spends a lot of time reassuring Katniss that he does not blame her for what has happened to Pik and encourages Katniss to stop blaming herself. He knows she can be very hard on herself when it comes to the people she loves, she feels so responsible for them. Pik had been her ultimate responsibility, but Peeta reminds Katniss that she did not know about Pik, about Snow or the extent of the infection which had wracked her body requiring such strong medication. All these things had been outside of her awareness and Katniss can't be held accountable for them. He does his best to convince her of this.

The fact is that Pik is healthy in every other way and growing stronger each day. He is just over four months old now with a full head of blond hair, just like Peeta. He has the grey eyes of the seam which match Katniss' and is a lively baby with a ready smile. Far from making him sullen or distant, Pik's deafness does not seem to have impacted on his sweet nature at all. Katniss and Peeta engage him using hand gestures and more pronounced facial expressions. Pik responds to these and engages with them, too. The information Katniss' mother sent has turned out to be very helpful. Katniss likes to keep Pik close and carries him in a sling most of the time, partly for his reassurance and hers, and partly to make it easier to manage Prim. She is a very active toddler, curious about the world, and Katniss is doing her best to keep up with Prim's demands as well.

Spring has turned into summer and Peeta has been working hard to establish an efficient service at the bakery so that when he has to attend the Games there will be no interruption to the business. He now has another baker working with him, plus an apprentice and two people to serve at the counter. Peeta mainly oversees the employees, making sure that the standards remain high and the work gets done on time, but he continues to create the special cakes some of their customer's request. Being creative is his outlet, a bit like hunting is for Katniss, and they both need an outlet as much as they need each other.

Haymitch has partially given in to his old demon, the drink, and Katniss has taken him to task over it more than once. She has tipped his liquor down the sink on a number of occasions, which made Haymitch mad, but Katniss didn't care. Haymitch needs to be sober, not just for the Games, but for Prim who has come to love him. Katniss can't bring Prim over, or let Haymitch into the house, if he has been drinking. He is a sullen drunk and Katniss does not want to expose the children to Haymitch when he is like that. Katniss is trying to encourage Haymitch to clean up his act by inviting him over for meals and encouraging him to spend more time with the family so that he can take his mind off whatever is bothering him. The children keep her busy, Peeta is busy in the bakery, but Haymitch has too much time on his hands and that's his problem. Katniss has spoken to Peeta about this and they both feel the same…Haymitch has been there for them and now they need to be there for him.

Katniss has also taken the time, while they wait to hear again from Paylor, to talk to Peeta about mentoring the Capitol children. She wonders how he is going to mentor other children going into the Games when it had taken such a toll on both of them, not forgetting there is little or no sympathy for these Tributes from the Capitol. There is also the reality of what has happened to Pik. Peeta tries to reassure her by telling her that they would have been mentors at the last Games if Snow hadn't engineered a way to force them into the Arena again. He tells Katniss he doesn't see these children as the enemy, but as a means to an end which is to capture Snow. Maybe the Games will not even go ahead. Either way, having been a Tribute himself, and a Victor, Peeta believes this qualifies him to be a Mentor and thinks he might do a better job than Haymitch did in the beginning, during their first Games. Katniss accepts that Peeta is determined to play his part and that he doesn't seem to be affected by what he is being asked to do. Regardless, she will be by his side to support him.


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Initiation

The day they are required to return to the Capitol comes around much too quickly…for Katniss, for Peeta and for Haymitch. Paylor has been in touch and informed them that there has been no further word on Snow, in spite of the prisoners being made aware that the Games are going ahead. The Tributes have been informed of the Reaping and will soon be transported to the Tribute Centre. The prisoners will be allowed one visit with them before the Games begin. Beetee has engineered communications so that any word of Snow's whereabouts can be transmitted to them.

Gale has an apartment organized for Peeta, Katniss and the children in a Village beside the Tribute Centre. This is where they will be staying with the other Mentors. Annie has decided to leave Finn with her mother and has the apartment next door to Peeta and Katniss. Haymitch is on the other side as Katniss wants to keep an eye on him. She hopes Prim being with them will help remind Haymitch what is important and why he needs to stay sober.

Katniss, herself, has entered the Capitol with a renewed sense of defiance…the same sense of defiance she displayed when they were forced to return for the Quarter Quell. This is the moment when Katniss will take back what is hers…the peace that Snow has tried to rob her of. This is also the moment when Snow and his Rebels will know the suffering of the people in the Districts. Ultimately it is the moment Katniss no longer feels ashamed. In fact, Katniss feels empowered. Empowered by Gale's plan, and Peeta's part in it, to bring this whole thing to an end. Katniss is empowered in the knowledge of who the real enemy is and will tell Paylor that she wants it to be her arrow that will bring Snow to his final end…again. Katniss means to redeem herself this time and she hopes Paylor agrees.

Peeta senses the renewed strength and defiance in Katniss. He is grateful that she will finally have the chance to overcome her demons and stop blaming herself for what has happened to Pik. He has his own ideas around Snow's demise, but he won't share them just yet. First they need to draw Snow out of hiding with these Games and Peeta will do his best to make sure that's what happens. The more drawn out the Games are and the greater the suffering, the more likely Snow's hiding place will be revealed. He needs to mentor his Tributes well.

The general population has been informed of the Reaping. They have been told it is a consequence of the Capitol Rebels actions and is being used as a means to put a stop to their Rebellion. It will also force the Capitol people to finally confront what the Districts had suffered for three quarters of a century and hopefully bring them to a better understanding of the District led Rebellion. These Games will serve many purposes….just as they were originally designed to do.

It has been decided that the Capitol Tributes will be paraded before the people, just as the District Tributes had been, and following this there will be interviews with both the Mentors and the Tributes. The prisoners and Rebels will be forced to watch the suffering of their children in all its cinematic glory. Plutarch has decided that these Tributes will mimic the Districts in their attire for the Parade as a way of ensuring they are stripped of any Capitol pride. Peeta is assigned District 12 and 11, Enobaria 10 and 9, Johanna 8 and 7, Haymitch 6 and 5, Annie 4 and 3, Beetee 2 and 1. The Victors will meet with the stylists over the next couple of days to determine how their Tributes will dress. In the meantime the Victors are required to meet with the children for the first time.

The meetings take place in separate rooms and the Tributes are marched in by Peacekeepers who are also required to stand guard in case of any untoward reactions on the part of the Tributes or the Mentors. Peeta remembers how it felt to be thrust into this situation and to be hungry for any kind of advantage. He also has to face these young people knowing that some of them are going to die. Before the meeting, Katniss has assured him of her love and reminded him of the purpose of the Games, all the while hoping that they will not need to be responsible for any more deaths. Peeta walks into the room with the conviction of a man who wants to hold Coriolanus Snow responsible for his actions.

There are four Tributes waiting for him when he arrives, two boys and two girls. The Peacekeeper makes the introductions. Ladies first. Ottilia is around the age Katniss was when she volunteered for the Games. She is tall and lithe, timid and teary. Verity is thirteen, defiant and slouches in her chair. Ramsay is seventeen and decides to look bored while Lorcan is an intelligent looking fifteen year old who gazes on Peeta with a sense of awe. They all know Peeta and Katniss' story, but Lorcan has real admiration for him and hopes Peeta will like him, even if he has to die in the Arena. It is the only thing Lorcan has to cling to as his life is put on hold.

Peeta begins.

"You know why you are all here. Your parents are Rebel prisoners and we need them to provide us with information so that we can put an end to the Capitol Rebellion. It has been two years since the Districts revolution was won and still the fighting continues. We are going to end it now and the Rebels need to provide us with information so we can make that happen".

The room is quiet. Peeta goes on.

"You are not responsible for the actions of your parents, just as the people in the Districts were not responsible for the actions of their forebears. District children were still being reaped long after the instigators of the original Rebellion were dead. You all know the Capitol used this as a means of keeping the Districts in line. We don't intend to do that, but for the first time, Capitol people will know how the people in the Districts felt".

Verity pipes up.

"Two wrongs don't make a right…didn't your mother ever tell you that?" she sneers.

"My mother is dead" Peeta tells her. "She was killed when Snow firebombed District 12 and razed it to the ground".

Lorcan is the only one who looks somewhat ashamed, while Ottilia begins to cry. Ramsay continues to look bored. Peeta wants to confront him, but knows that is not what this meeting is about.

"My job is to mentor you as you go into the Games. Answer any questions you have and find out what your strengths are. I don't want you to die, but the outcome is not in my hands.. It is in the hand of your parents". Peeta knows this is the only way.

Lorcan decides to speak.

"What advice did your mentor give you going into the Games?" he asks.

"The first piece of advice he gave us? "Embrace the probability of your imminent death and know, in your heart, there is nothing I can do to save you"".

Ramsay doesn't look quite so bored now and Ottilia is sobbing out loud. Peeta thinks it would be a good idea to let this thought sink in and tells the Tributes he will see them tomorrow to go over the details of the Parade. The only one he holds any hope out for at this stage is Lorcan, but Peeta doesn't want to become attached to any of these Tributes. Like he said, the outcome is out of his hands.


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59: Trigger

After meeting with the Tributes, the Victors reassemble in the Village. Gale and Paylor are there to meet them and Plutarch will be arriving soon. They'll then gather to discuss the Gamemaker's plan and Katniss has been invited to attend the meeting as well. Right now, she is waiting for her mother to arrive. Katniss' mother will be staying with them for the duration of the Games as she feels Katniss may need some support, not only with the Prim and Pik. In the circumstances, it is too difficult for Katniss to focus both on Peeta and the children. Katniss' mother has not seen Katniss since she and Peeta left the Capitol, but has kept in touch by other means. Katniss had finally calmed down after realizing her mother had been correct in her assessment of the situation after Pik was born, but Katniss had fallen short of apologizing to her. Her mother's words had hurt Katniss at a time when she was very vulnerable. It was enough that they were still talking.

The other Victors walk into the meeting room and it's obvious that some of them have managed the situation better than others. Haymitch is already hitting the booze and Johanna decides she wants a drink, too. She is as bitter as she ever was and has served her Tributes up more than a few choice words about the past sins of the Capitol. They will probably be the most traumatized and the least likely to survive if Johanna continues to mentor this way…which she probably will.

Annie is quiet and seems a little shaken. She is too caring and this will be hard for her in spite of the fact she is much stronger now. Enobaria is a Career and she has no qualms about mentoring her Tributes to destroy or be destroyed. She is tough and has no time for weakness. Beetee has the most difficult job of all. Coriolanus Snow's granddaughter is one of his Tributes. He doesn't know this. Only Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch are privy to this information for now as they have been told not to share the details of her name with the other Victors. This is to prevent any bias, but all the Victors know that President Snow's granddaughter is amongst them. Peeta is just glad that she is not among his Tributes. To treat her without prejudice would be extremely difficult, even if she is only a child.

Paylor and Plutarch enter the room first and Gale follows behind. As they find their seats and are preparing to sit down Katniss finally arrives. Her eyes lock on Plutarch and she strides across the room towards him. Without warning, Katniss launches herself at Plutarch and slaps him hard across the face.

"You son of a bitch!" she shouts. "You told me he was dead! You lied to me. You lied to us all!"

Gale quickly grabs Katniss from behind and attempts to hold her back while Plutarch is stunned into silence before the meeting can even begin.

"Katniss!" says Paylor.

Gale's grip forces Katniss to realize she needs to calm down. He won't let her go until she stops resisting. But, Katniss can't. Plutarch is a trigger for her grief and pain over what has happened to Pik. He lied to her about Coriolanus Snow and his demise. He allowed her to live with a false sense of security, all the while knowing she would be the one at greatest risk. His Mockingjay! And then when the Capitol Rebels reared their ugly head, Plutarch had the arrogance to use her again to create his anti-rebellion Propos. Katniss starts to hyperventilate and Peeta decides Katniss is not ready to be part of this meeting. He is already out of his seat and moves to Katniss' side while Gale continues to hold her. Peeta tells her to breathe.

"It's OK, Katniss. I am going to take you back to the apartment. You are in no state to be here right now" he tells her.

Katniss looks around the room and feels everyone's eyes on her. Johanna looks particularly amused. Katniss tries to gulp in some air as Gale releases her into Peeta's care. They both realize she has been overwhelmed again with a sense of grief...and injustice. Injustice at what has been lost. That will always engender rage in Katniss. She is a fighter. Peeta wonders if the waves of grief and rage will ever stop. For now, they can only deal with them as they occur, sometimes unexpectedly…like today. Plutarch had lied to her and Katniss can't stand the sight of him.

Peeta leads Katniss back to their apartment.

"Katniss, I want you to stay here with your mother for now" Peeta tells her. "You are too vulnerable to be around certain people at the moment, people we both know have caused us harm. I feel the same, but I have to focus on the Games. That is the only way we're are going to finally have justice".

Katniss just looks at Peeta, searching his eyes for any hint of what she is feeling. All she sees is his steely determination. Katniss wants Peeta to feel her pain, but he is too focused on the task ahead. She feels abandoned. Katniss angrily turns her back on Peeta and walks into the apartment without a parting word. Peeta will have to deal with Katniss' emotions later. He has to go back to the meeting and deal with Plutarch first.

As Peeta returns to the meeting he doesn't offer an apology for Katniss before he sits down. Plutarch doesn't deserve it. Plutarch, in the meantime, has gathered himself and is ready to start the meeting.

"I'm here today to talk to you about the Tributes Parade and the Arena. First of all the Parade will be held in the usual place tomorrow night. The Tributes will be dressed in traditional District garb and will look as unimpressive as possible. The cameras will be there, of course, and that should start to get the Capitol people thinking about how much they want to protect their rebels".

Peeta remembers how his and Katniss' outfits had caused a sensation at both Games, thanks to Cinna, and he will be forever grateful that they had the chance to make such an impression. Of course, confessing his love for Katniss' was what really wooed the audience in the Capitol, but that had never been his intention. Haymitch had found a way to use that to their advantage, but just like Katniss had never meant to start a revolution with her handful of berries, he had never intended to draw the sympathy of the Capitol crowds with his admission. He just wanted Katniss to know, before either of them died.

Plutarch goes on.

"The arena consists of one central dome and six satellite domes. The central dome is for the final confrontations between any surviving Tributes. The six satellite domes each have a different theme and only one exit into the central dome. That means only one Tribute can escape from each of the domes and the others, if they aren't already dead, will die via a mechanism in that arena".

"So that means all of our Tributes go into a singular dome when they are launched into the arena?" asks Peeta.

"Yes" says Plutarch. "You will be given an opportunity to train them for the terrain in the initial arena, which will be all about survival. There will be no unnecessary weaponry at this stage as per President Paylor's request".

"And still the Capitol's children are being treated differently" scoffs Johanna.

Paylor intervenes.

"The idea is to get information on Snow, Johanna. This will help to draw the Games out and if we recapture him, then the Games will be brought to an end. This was the plan from the beginning".

Johanna is not moved by the plight of the Capitol children, but the others seem to accept it is the right thing to do.

"They will be supplied with resources, but will have to locate them and make use of them appropriately. It is still the Games and the Tributes will still be scrambling for the advantage" says Plutarch.

He tells them they will get more information over the next couple of days in preparation for training. Otherwise it is just a matter of ensuring the Tributes play their part tomorrow night at the Parade. While the others gather around for small talk about these details, Peeta knows he needs to get back to Katniss. She is more important right now. He wants her by his side.


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter 60: Profound

Peeta returns to the apartment and Katniss' mother meets him at the door.

"She's in your room" her mother tells him. "I'll take the children out for a walk".

Peeta is grateful. Katniss won't hold back if she has something to say to him.

Peeta knocks on the door and doesn't receive a reply. He slowly turns the handle and walks in to find Katniss lying on the bed. She has her back to him and Peeta sits down beside her.

"Katniss…" he begins.

She ignores him.

"Katniss, we need to talk" Peeta tries again.

"There's nothing to talk about" she says.

"Yes, there is" Peeta insists. "We need to talk about what happened".

"You mean my reaction to Plutarch? And the fact you didn't react?!" Katniss is bitter.

"Katniss, I understand why you reacted. You know I do. I just react differently to some things. I am trying to look at the bigger picture and what we want to achieve with these Games. I don't care about Plutarch. He manipulated you and he will always use people for his own ends. That's why he is the perfect Gamemaker. I don't expect Plutarch to do the right thing by anyone, except himself. I see him for who he is and so I don't get caught up in the emotion of it all. He's not worth it" Peeta says.

"But, he lied to me. He lied to us! He let us believe Snow was dead and now Pik's deafness is a direct consequence of that!" says Katniss, her temper rising again.

"Even if we knew Snow was still alive, could we have stopped him? We might have taken more steps to protect ourselves, but I know you can't live like that. Plutarch's lie gave us what we needed to start again…a sense of security. We could never have moved on without that sense of being free of Snow and his threats. If we hadn't had that opportunity…"

Katniss has heard enough.

"I want you to feel _my pain_ , Peeta!" Katniss pleads angrily with him. "I want you to feel it as deeply and as sorely as I do…for Pik, for Prim, for all of us! You have suffered too because of the lies Plutarch told".

"That lie allowed us move on, Katniss. It gave us the space we needed to begin again…rightly or wrongly".

Katniss has turned over and is looking at Peeta. She tries to absorb what he is saying. Katniss can't imagine not having the opportunity that Peeta is talking about…the one they needed to start again. She wonders how Peeta is able to see these things, which is so different to her own understanding. This is why she loves him. Peeta takes her outside of herself, gives her a different perspective, all the while accepting her for who she is. It's what she needs. It's just too painful to be Katniss Everdeen sometimes, with all the burdens she has to carry. Peeta is the one who helps to lighten the load. Throwing her the bread was just the first time Peeta would help to lift the weight from her shoulders.

"I love you, Peeta" she tells him.

Peeta's begins to desire Katniss again.

"I love you, too" he tells her as he takes her in his arms and holds her close. Peeta wants Katniss to know how much he loves her, how much he loves every part of her being. She is strong, proud and beautiful and she brings life to Peeta in a way he has never experienced before. She had from the moment he first saw her. Peeta wants to build on that moment again. He kisses Katniss, slowly, tenderly, waiting for her response. She has only one. It is the same response she had when Peeta had asked her "You love me, real or not real?" Katniss takes Peeta to herself realizing his understanding of her is as profound as his love for her. They need each other now more than ever.

Katniss' mother eventually returns with the children.

"Mama, Dada" Prim cries as she sees them.

"Primrose" Katniss says as she gives her a big hug.

They hear all the things Prim wants to tell them about her walk, how Grandma took them to the park and they fed the ducks. Pik is sleeping soundly in his pram and Katniss thanks her mother for taking the children out for a while. She thinks her mother might need a break and suggests she take some time for herself while they prepare dinner. Katniss' mother can see the couple have made their peace and is grateful to Peeta. He has a way with Katniss that eases so many of her concerns. The two of them are like fire and water. Katniss burns and Peeta quenches the flames, but never enough to douse them completely. Just enough to keep Katniss from being consumed.


	61. Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Humiliation

Katniss and Peeta have invited Annie and Gale to dinner. Peeta has checked on Haymitch, but he is too drunk for company. Peeta helps get Haymitch to his bed and tidies up the apartment. He will come back first thing in the morning to check on him again. In the meantime, he removes all the alcohol from the room and decides to talk to Paylor about banning alcohol from the Village all together. Haymitch can't function like this and is likely to say and do things that will disrupt their efforts to bring Snow to justice.

Annie arrives first and gives Katniss a big hug. She feels so much empathy for her and really wants Katniss to find some peace. It had taken her a while to find her peace over Finnick's death, but Finn had been given her a reason to go on and the pain of her grief has subsided considerably. She still feels it sometimes, but she knows Finnick would want her to celebrate life. That was the best way to respect his memory.

Gale arrives just as the dinner is being served. He has been following up on the possibility of leads with regard to Snow's whereabouts, but so far there have been none. The prisoners are isolated for the duration of the Games, locked up for 23 hours a day and only allowed one hour of exercise per day, alone. His plan had produced results early on the first time, but many of the Rebels had hardened their resolve at the announcement of the Games. They were going to continue to resist this Government, even if it meant their children had to die.

The conversation at the table is about the Tributes and the Victor's concerns in relation to mentoring them. They need to keep their focus on the possibility that information will filter through which could mean an early end to the Games, rather than the possible outcomes for the various Tributes if it does not. Annie is feeling particularly vulnerable. The other two female Victors, Enobaria and Johanna, are hardened and bitter. That will make their job so much easier. Annie is neither of these things.

"What I don't understand is why the Rebels would not want to protect their own children. I know what I would do if someone tried to put Finn into the Games and I had the choice to save him" Annie says. A mother's instincts would never allow a child to die if there was a chance of saving them, even if it meant she had to die herself in the process.

"Unfortunately, there is no option for volunteers to take their place…not that there were ever many takers anyway" Katniss says. At least volunteers, like Katniss and Peeta, were making a conscious choice about being part of the Games. It was still a no win situation, but they could save someone more vulnerable in the process…like Prim. And Mags had volunteered for Annie, too, during the Quarter Quell. The government was making sure the Rebels knew they meant business and the more impotent they were made, the more likely there would be a response. Still, the children were not to blame.

Gale interjects.

"We can't afford to feel sorry for these Tributes. Our families had not committed any crimes and still the Reapings went ahead. They didn't care about us or how we felt. The Games were a mechanism to control us and now, finally, we have the control, It is an opportunity to show them just how that feels". Gale is still not satisfied that the Rebels really understand the previous suffering of the people in the Districts or that they have paid an adequate price for their deeds. He has no qualms about the Games at all.

"We need to be sure we don't become like them" says Peeta. "It's a means to an end, but it is not who we are. Surely, our suffering has taught us something, and the reason for the Districts rebellion has to remain clear. It is not about revenge, but about justice".

"Well, when justice is served I will be satisfied" says Gale. "That hasn't happened yet".

One thing the Victors sitting at the table understand is that Gale had never been forced to enter the Games. There is a connection between these Mentors and their Tributes which can't be understood by someone who has never been put in that position. Gale is not wrong, but he is not aware of all the layers which come with being a Victor, a volunteer, a Tribute. These are not soldiers fighting, but innocent children being put to the test…and to the death.

The following day the Mentors meet with the Stylists and their Tributes. Plutarch's direction regarding the creation of unimpressive outfits has been adhered to, and Peeta's Tributes look suitably drab in coalminer's garb and the field garb of District 11. Initially, Ottilia could not comprehend wearing such unattractive attire and became teary again, so Peeta agreed she could choose which of the two outfits she would wear. She preferred the garb of District 11, at least it wasn't dirty like District 12. Lorcan had been happy to wear the outfit of a coalminer…his Tribute to Peeta, even though Peeta's family had not worked in the mines…and Verity didn't want to be around the snivelling Ottilia, so she also donned a coalminer's outfit. This meant Ramsay would dress a field worker, too, and he eventually joined Ottilia in their chariot for the Parade.

Beetee had the toughest job of all. His Tributes came from the well to do Districts, so he had to be a little more creative. For District 2 he had decided to dress his Tributes as Medics…which was the opposite of the fighters and oppressive Peacekeepers they were renowned to be. It was also Beetee's tribute to those who had sacrificed their lives to save the lives of others...including Prim. He kept the best for last, though. District One's Tributes were draped in the flag of the new government of Panem. This drew the greatest cheers from the crowds and Ebony Snow, unbeknown to Beetee, had been paraded before the whole of Panem in a traitor's garb. Snow was furious.

The Tributes were all suitably muted in their response to their outfits and the Parade. Several cried as they were forced to confront the jeering of the crowds and all of this was screened live to anyone who wanted to watch it. And there were plenty of viewers. The humiliation of the Capitol children was the most highly rated program on the screens that night and, with Plutarch's expertise, the ratings were only going to get higher. He was enjoying playing his role as Gamemaker again and Johanna was delighting in his ability to put on a good show in retaliation. The others were more concerned with making sure there was enough hype around the humiliation of the Tributes to generate a response from the Rebels.

Training would start tomorrow. Peeta and the rest of the Victors would meet with their Tributes in the afternoon once they had the opportunity to discuss the terrains of the Arenas with Plutarch in the morning.


	62. Chapter 62

Chapter 62: Terrain

The next morning, Peeta and the other Mentors are to meet with Plutarch again. Katniss prepares to come face to face with him for a second time and, after her conversation with Peeta, has agreed stay by his side and squeeze his hand tightly if she feels herself becoming overwhelmed. That way he can help Katniss make a hasty exit if she needs to.

Gale is there when they arrive and soon the other Mentors make their way into the meeting room. There is no sign of Haymitch and Peeta realizes he has forgotten to check on him again this morning. He has been so caught up with his concerns over Katniss that he left without thinking about his own Mentor. Peeta doesn't want to leave Katniss on her own, so the two of them excuse themselves to go and see where Haymitch is.

When they arrive at his apartment all the blinds are still drawn. The door is unlocked so they push it open to find Haymitch still snoring on his bed. Katniss doesn't have time for this and wants to pour water over him again, but Peeta tells her it's better to wake him up gently. The alcohol could make him unpredictable. Peeta goes over to the bed and nudges Haymitch telling him to get up. He doesn't move. He tries again. Still no movement. Peeta is getting impatient now and tells Katniss to get _him_ a jug of water. Katniss obliges.

"What the…!" shouts Haymitch as the freezing water brings him out of his stupor.

"Haymitch, you need to get up! We have a meeting with Plutarch" says Peeta.

"Plutarch, smchutarch" says Haymitch.

"C'mon Haymitch" says Katniss. "Plutarch will be here any minute".

"Screw Plutarch" Haymitch says angrily. "What do I care if he has to wait? Am I going to miss something? Like you laying into him again?" Haymitch laughs drunkenly.

"That's uncalled for" says Peeta. "Katniss had every reason to do what she did, but you have no excuses. Get up". As Peeta says this, he pulls Haymitch by the arm to lift him off the bed. Haymitch suddenly takes a swing at Peeta and hits him square in the jaw. As Peeta falls back, Katniss rushes to his side.

"Peeta, are you OK?" she asks with concern.

Peeta is rubbing his jaw and preparing to get up and confront Haymitch again. There is blood on his lip and it is starting to swell. Katniss intervenes.

"Haymitch! Get dressed! We don't have time for this. You can apologize to Peeta later. What is wrong with you?!" Katniss demands.

Haymitch drags himself to the bathroom as Katniss tends to Peeta. She gets some ice from the freezer and places it in a cloth to put on Peeta's jaw. He winces and Katniss tells him to stay still while she checks on Haymitch. She has no qualms about invading Haymitch's space and throws some clothes at him telling him to hurry up. Finally, Haymitch makes his way out of the bathroom and looks sheepishly at Peeta. He apologizes as Katniss helps Peeta up. Haymitch is in danger of losing some of his closest friends if he doesn't get it together, but that doesn't stop him looking round for another drink before they leave.

"I got rid of it" Peeta tells him.

Haymitch looks angrily at Peeta, as though he might take another swing at him, but thinks the better of it and they head to the meeting together.

Plutarch is there when they arrive and he looks nervously at Katniss as she enters the room. Katniss doesn't look at him, but holds Peeta's hand tightly and they take the seats furthest from Plutarch at the table. Plutarch begins.

"Today you will be selecting the arenas for your Tributes. There are six of them and you will select them from this bowl".

There is a bowl sitting in front of Plutarch and they each select a folded piece of paper which contains the terrain of their arena. The Mentors take it in turns to reveal which arena they have chosen. They move around the table and the first is Johanna.

"Swamp" she says. She doesn't know the first thing about swampland. She doesn't plan on finding out about it either.

"Sea" says Annie, breathing a sigh of relief. She should really be able to help her Tributes with this selection. Suddenly memories of Finnick come flooding back and Annie hopes he will be with her in some way as she does what she can to help these Tributes survive.

"Tropics" Haymitch says. The last Games had a tropical theme so Haymitch's drunken stupor hopefully won't affect his Tributes too much..that is if they took anything in from the Quarter Quell.

"Desert" say Enobaria. She doesn't care about the terrain. Her tributes will be in shape to face any terrain.

"Arctic" Beetee shares. Beetee's skills can be used almost anywhere with the right resources. That will be up to Plutarch.

"Forest" says Peeta as he looks at Katniss. That is her terrain and Peeta knows he will be relying on her to help him with the Tributes in his arena. Maybe one of them will have a fighting chance to escape to the central arena.

"Good" says Plutarch. "For now, you will be ascertaining the skills, experience and strength of your Tributes. I will be planning what resources will be available to them and it will be up to them to decide how they make use of them. These are Games and the mentors do not normally know the construct of the arena, or the dangers that lie within it. All you can do is prepare them as best you can. There will be no sponsors, so the Tributes will be need to be self-reliant. That is all" says Plutarch signalling the end of the meeting.

Katniss and Peeta leave immediately to return to the apartment. Katniss needs to feed Pik and she wants to see Prim, too. The memories of their Games have all come flooding back and she needs to remind herself how far she and Peeta have come since then. Peeta feels buoyed at the thought that he can at least train his Tributes well, with Katniss' help, and is keen to get to their first training session this afternoon. For now, he will spend some time with Katniss and the children. He needs to remember the reason for these Games. It is for them, and Peeta wants to be strong.


	63. Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Challenged

"What is going on?!" demands Snow. "Last night I saw my granddaughter paraded in front of the whole of Panem in a traitor's flag! Does someone want to explain that to me?!"

"President Snow, we have been holding out against the pressure of the Capitol, trying to ensure your hiding place is not revealed. The prisoners are maintaining their silence, but unfortunately that means your granddaughter has now become a piece in the Games of the new government of Panem".

Coriolanus Snow had moved his fair share of pieces in the game of government over the last few decades, but this was unprecedented and he has been completely taken by surprise.

"She is only a child! An innocent child. She can't be held accountable!" Fully cognizant of the irony of his position, he still can't accept that this could happen to him.

"No more innocent than the children we reaped for the Hunger Games" says his minder, recognizing the truth himself not afraid to confront it. This new initiative by the Government of Panem was going to cause support to wane for the Resistance and Coriolanus Snow needed to confront his hypocrisy head on. If he had no challenge in response to these Games, then resistance was futile.

What an insolent remark, Snow thinks. Of course she is more innocent. She didn't come from rebel stock, people who had once before tried to bring down the Capitol. Ebony was a faithful child who supported her grandfather's position. Of course, she had been caught up in the love story of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, but most of the Capitol had been hoodwinked by them. Ebony was impressionable and followed the lead of others who had no idea how dangerous Katniss Everdeen could be. He had tried to protect his granddaughter from the treachery of the ordinary people. Now she was right in the middle of them, a Tribute in their "Capitol" Games.

"I want you to get my most trusted advisers. We need to put a stop to these Games. I will not allow my granddaughter to suffer the humiliation they have planned for her, and for me. They know I am still alive and are trying to force the Rebels to reveal my whereabouts. If that happens, they win...and we can't let Katniss Everdeen win again" says Snow.

Peeta and Katniss head to the first training session with his Tributes. With Katniss' mother to help mind the children, Katniss wants to accompany Peeta as much as possible. She knows she can help with the terrain Peeta has chosen and he wants her by his side.

The training sessions are taking place in separate areas and have been set up with stations to match the terrain the Tributes will face. This time, the only Gamemaker to ascertain the skills and potential of the Tributes will be Plutarch. It will help him determine both the nature of the Game and what the Tributes level of success might be in the arena. They won't be scored, as there will be no bets placed during these Games. The reason for this is twofold. The Games are not for sport, but are to act as a means to an end. Also, they could be brought to a stop at any time and any bets placed on the survival of the remaining Tributes would be null and void. Plutarch will move from station to station over the course of the next few days to study them and make his decisions.

Peeta and Katniss walk into the training room. Lorcan and Ottilia immediately stand up when Katniss enters the room. Lorcan takes on the demeanour of someone who is in the presence of greatness, and Ottilia just looks scared. Ramsay and Verity continue to lounge in their seats. Peeta walks across to where Ramsay is seated and kicks the chair out from under him. Startled, Ramsay gets to his feet. Peeta stands nose to nose with him and tells him

"You always get up when a lady enters the room. Didn't your mother teach you that?!"

Verity gets the message and stands up, too.

Katniss is surprised at Peeta's actions and wonders what has motivated him to do that. It's not like him.

"You all know who this is. This is the person who has paid the highest price to gain Panem it's freedom. This is the person you will respect for the next two weeks while you train for the arena. This is also the person who may just save your life" Peeta says. He knows. Katniss saved his life more than once.

Katniss speaks.

"My name is Katniss Everdeen Mellark. I come from District 12. I am here to help my husband, Peeta, train you for the ordeal ahead. I know none of you are here by choice. Peeta was not given a choice when he entered the arena the first time either. I made the choice to enter the arena to save my sister. Either way, no one can predict what happens in the arena so you need to listen to our advice".

The Tributes remain silent and Peeta goes on.

"Katniss will help you with skills that involve climbing and hunting. There will be no weapons in the arena, but snares can be set and she is an expert in that area. She will also advise you on how to start a fire, for warmth and cooking, plus teach you about plants that can be safely eaten".

"Watch out for the poison berries" says Verity.

Peeta ignores her.

"I will assist you in the area of camouflage, shelter and will help to build up your strength and agility. Once you get into the arena you will pitted against each other and will need to know how to hide and escape if necessary".

The reality of the arena is now becoming more real to the Tributes. Peeta and Katniss decide that she will take the girls initially and he will take the boys. They head to different areas of the room to help them prepare. Ramsay refuses to speak to Peeta, but Lorcan has a question for him.

"How did you manage to win her over?" he asks. Lorcan is more interested in Peeta and Katniss' relationship than he is with the Games right now. He hopes to meet a girl one day and fall in love...despite the fact the odds are no longer in his favour.

Peeta looks at this tender aged boy and wonders himself. When was the moment that he finally won Katniss over? When did she finally realize that he meant as much to her as she meant to him? He takes a moment before he responds.

"A thousand tiny cuts to her heart and mine…that's what brought us together" says Peeta. "If it wasn't for Snow, his Games and his vengeance, Katniss and I might not be together today. It was sacrifice and suffering, not the games we played, that are the answer to that question" says Peeta.


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter 64: Interview

Katniss and Peeta have spent the afternoon with his Tributes and they have toured the various stations. The boys have been surprised by Katniss' skills and knowledge, eventually trying to outdo each other in impressing her with their ability to learn what she was trying to teach them. Ramsay was more physical and a competent climber, Lorcan efficient in the more intricate work of setting a snare. Peeta had been surprised by Verity's natural talent when it came to the art of camouflage. She was fascinated with his skills and had paid close attention to the lesson. Ottilia had struggled in all areas. She wasn't strong or artistic, and she didn't like the outdoors at all. She relied on others to do what needed to be done and was more concerned with her looks than her survival. Ottilia was Peeta and Katniss' greatest concern.

When they arrive back at the apartment, after eating dinner and putting the children to bed, Katniss wants to talk to Peeta. He had done something out of character today and she is still wondering why.

"Peeta, why did you kick the chair out from underneath Ramsay today?" she asks.

"Because I didn't want him disrespecting you" says Peeta.

"I don't need everyone to stand to attention when I walk into a room, Peeta. That would make me uncomfortable. I'm not anyone special, at least I don't want to be treated that way" Katniss tells him.

"Katniss, Ramsay has been acting like an insolent brat from the moment I met him. I don't care if he treats me that way, but I'm not going to let him treat you like that!"

Peeta, the protector. She didn't often get to see this side of him. Generally, Katniss was pretty good at protecting and defending herself. Somehow, Peeta's explanation makes her feel like a young girl again and just thinking about it makes Katniss blush. Peeta notices. The last time he saw her blush like that was when he had confessed his love for her to Caesar Flickerman in front of the whole of Panem.

"Peeta?" she says.

Peeta isn't sure where this is going yet.

"Yes?" he replies.

"Thank you" Katniss tells him.

She moves across the room and puts her arms around him. Katniss feels his strength, the strength of the protector. It's in the broadness of his shoulders, the firmness of his chest, the strength of his arms encircling her. Katniss feels so safe in Peeta's arms. She always did.

They hold each other for a while as Katniss gains some of that strength from Peeta, while he gains recognition from her. Katniss is allowing Peeta to be her protector, a role from which he is often dismissed due to the fact Katniss is so self-reliant. She remembers how Gale had made her promise to let Peeta look after her before he went back to the Capitol the last time. Gale had been her protector of sorts since her father had died. Then, in a moment of selflessness, he had "given" her to Peeta. The truth was, Peeta had been protecting her long before she'd even realized it.

The strength of Peeta's body is reassuring, but it is also enticing to Katniss as he holds her now. She lifts her face to Peeta and he kisses her. First her lips, then her neck, all the way down to the opening of her blouse. He slowly begins to undo the buttons and then leads her to the bed. Peeta wants Katniss to draw from his strength and his love. Katniss wants to acknowledge Peeta's love and his strength. It will help them both to feel more secure.

The following day it is time to prepare for the interviews. Caesar Flickerman has been brought out of retirement after having spent several months in a Capitol prison at the end of the Rebellion. He had been a leading light in the Capitol propaganda campaign and it was only fitting he was now going to be used for the new Government's propaganda. Katniss will not be involved with the interviews as Peeta continues to take the lead with his Tributes. Each of the Mentors will be on the stage with their four Tributes as Caesar Flickerman introduces them again, but he can only allude to the Tributes by their number. As much as his efforts during the previous Hunger Games had been an attempt to put the Tributes at their ease, and comfort them in some small way, he had still wilfully played a part in the Capitol's games and would suffer the humiliation he deserved. The fact was, he had called Katniss treacherous and violent, and had watched Peeta squirm as he questioned him after his hijacking. Caesar Flickerman has a lot to answer for and, no doubt, the program tonight will be another hit with the audience.

The Tributes are once again dressed in their Parade outfits, but the Mentors have agreed to let the Stylists dress them in the Capitol's finest attire. The contrast between the Mentors and the Tributes will be stark and continue to add to the discomfort of the supporters of the Resistance. But, there is a fine line to tread here. The Capitol had always tried to bring out the best in the Tributes at this moment of the Games, to endear them to the audience and perhaps generate sponsorship. This time around, sponsorship is not an issue so the game plan is to further humiliate the Tributes while avoiding the trap of generating any sympathy for them. Peeta has a new Stylist and knows that he will miss Cinna's magic, but then again Cinna's magic had always worked better on Katniss anyway.

There is a large audience ready and waiting when Caesar Flickerman appears on the stage. The same triumphant music is playing and Caesar has been ordered to be his old, jolly self with the interviewees. There can be no doubt this will be difficult for him, but ever the consummate performer, Caesar will do his best. His reputation depends on it.

First to take to the stage is Enobaria. She doesn't hesitate to voice her hatred of the Capitol and what they have turned her into. A heartless, soulless fighting machine. She swears her Tributes will fight to the death, if that's what it takes, to put an end to the Resistance.

Annie's interview follows and Flickerman takes a gentle approach, hoping that will stave off some of the hatred being expressed towards the Capitol's old guard. Annie remains strong throughout the interview as she speaks of her loss and how Finnick had paid the highest price after being asked to fight in two Games which had ultimately led him to become involved in the Rebellion. He is going to be remembered as a hero, she says, and her son will know him as a man of integrity and good will. The crowd cheers for Finnick.

Haymitch has not been able to get his hands on another drink and is surly the whole way through his interview. He lambasts Caesar on the part he has played over the years, Flickerman smiling his way through interview after interview, all the while sending children to their deaths. He wonders how Caesar feels sending Capitol children towards the same fate. Caesar is lost for words and hurries Haymitch and his Tributes off the stage.

Johanna is a frightful prospect and Caesar is visibly sweating when she appears on the stage. He asks Johanna how the training is going for the Games and she just laughs in his face. "What training?!" she counters and her hostility is palpable. A number of expletives later even Caesar Flickerman is blushing as he looks to the audience for support. Of course, they are all delighted with his discomfort and jeer at him as well.

Beetee provides the calm before the storm. He is articulate and intelligent. He reminds Caesar that the old Government could have made a choice to put an end to the Games at the time of the Quarter Quell if they'd had the will to do so. It might never have come to this if Snow had just listened to the people then. Caesar remembers the outcry when Peeta had revealed that Katniss was pregnant at the beginning of the Quarter Quell. He wonders about the heartache that will soon be revealed when Peeta takes the stage.

Finally, Peeta is called up to answer some of Caesar's questions. It is the first time Caesar has seen him since he was rescued and Caesar has trouble looking him in the eye.

"Well, Peeta. Here we are again" says Flickerman nervously.

"Indeed" replies Peeta.

"A lot has happened since our last interview. Of course, I was in no position to deny President Snow's request the last time we spoke". Caesar tries to excuse himself from any responsibility in relation Peeta's hijacking and his part in taking full advantage of that for propaganda purposes.

"You're right" says Peeta. "A lot has happened, and you might like to know that Katniss and I did eventually get married, "officially", and now we have two beautiful children". The crowd cheers.

"Congratulations" replies Caesar, looking guilty as charged. "And...what are their names?" he asks falteringly.

"We have a daughter called Primrose and a son called Pictor. Thanks to Katniss, they are going to grow up in a world where they will never have to fear being reaped for the Hunger Games".

"But, Peeta, the Games helped to bring you and Katniss together, did they not?" says Flickerman.

"That's true" Peeta replies. "They helped us more than you could ever know, and now they are going to help us again. This time they will help us finally bring to justice the people who sought to destroy us".

Peeta's words hang in the air. Flickerman is afraid to touch them. Eventually, he finds his voice again.

"Well, Peeta, the odds have been in your favour in the past. Let's hope they are in your favour again". And with that Caesar ends the interview. It had been the worst experience of his life, worse than months on end spent in prison, and now he knows how Peeta felt being forced to be interviewed in support of the Capitol. It has been a salutary lesson for Flickerman and he hopes never to have to do another interview again.


	65. Chapter 65

Chapter 65: Trouble

When Peeta returns to the apartment, Katniss throws her arms around him. She is so proud of the way he has conducted himself and confronted Caesar Flickerman during his interview. Peeta had always been better at these things, but it must have been difficult for him to face Flickerman again, considering the circumstances of their last meeting.

"I am so proud of you, Peeta" she tells him, with tears in her eyes. Katniss knows what this must have cost him.

Peeta just holds her more tightly. He had maintained his calm demeanour on the stage and meant every word he said, but now the reality of having to confront some of his past demons was taking its toll. Peeta needs some time alone.

"Katniss, I think I need some time on my own…just to clear my head" Peeta tells her.

Katniss tries to understand. Peeta needs to process the experience and he needs to be on his own to do that.

"OK…" she says reluctantly, as she kisses him and leaves him to go back to bed. She had wanted him to share this moment, and his thoughts, with her, but maybe they were not all good thoughts and Peeta, knowing this, wants to protect her from them.

Peeta stays in the living room and watches a replay of his performance on the TV. He feels strangely dissociated from it and is beginning to doubt his own sincerity and the purpose of the Games. The interview with Flickerman has triggered a reaction in Peeta, one which he is only now beginning to feel…a reaction that could lead to more flashbacks. He hasn't felt this way in a long time and decides he needs to leave the apartment until he can sort out the thoughts and feelings which are causing him concern.

Katniss wakes up the early the next morning to discover Peeta is not in the bed beside her. She wonders where he could be and remembers leaving him in the front room the previous night, after he said he needed some time alone. She gets up to look for him and becomes concerned when there is no sign of him in the apartment. Not wanting to disturb anyone else, she quietly throws on a robe and heads out the door to see if he might be somewhere else in the Village. Katniss knew Peeta would find it hard to sleep last night, so she thinks maybe he has gone to visit Haymitch, or one of the other Mentors, who had experienced the ordeal of the interviews with him.

Katniss knocks on Haymitch's door and gets no answer. Finding it unlocked, she turns the handle to peer inside. Peeta is lying on the sofa in the front room fast asleep with his arms crossed over his chest and his shoes still on his feet. He must have been too tired to untie the double knot in his shoelaces, Katniss thinks. She walks across to where he is lying and sits on the floor beside him. Katniss hears his rhythmic breathing and rests her head close to his chest. She wonders what he has been thinking, why he felt the need to come here and not to their bed last night.

Peeta begins to stir.

"Katniss?" he recognizes her presence immediately.

"Hmm" she responds.

"What are you doing here…?" Peeta asks her.

"I came to find you" Katniss says.

Peeta knows Katniss will always come to find him. Since that first time, during their first Games… Katniss had never been willing to leave him. She still wasn't.

"I couldn't sleep. I thought Haymitch might be glad of some company, too" Peeta says.

"And was he?" asks Katniss.

"He just cursed at me for denying him any alcohol and I cursed myself as well. I could have used a drink last night…" Peeta tells her.

"Are you OK?" Katniss asks him with concern.

"I felt some of those old feelings after my interview with Flickerman last night…you know, the negative ones about the Rebellion and all that" he says.

Katniss knows he means her. Peeta had been on the edge of a flashback and had left the apartment because he knew what that could mean.

"Peeta…"

He doesn't let Katniss finish.

"Katniss. I don't want to hurt you again. I never meant to hurt you before. I need you to trust me when I tell you that I can sense when the flashbacks are about to happen and the best thing I can do is leave. It's not about you, it's not even about me. It's about what the Capitol did and last night was a reminder of that for me. They will never own me again, but unfortunately, they still own some of my thoughts and only I can deal with that. That's something I have to do alone, without your help".

Katniss knows that Peeta needs to fight his Capitol demons, but she will never leave him to fight them alone. She is his constant reminder that the Capitol _don't_ own him and he belongs to her now. Katniss reassures Peeta.

"Peeta, I am never going to leave you to fight on your own. I wouldn't do it in the Arena during the first Games and I won't do it now. This is what you and I do, we protect each other…keep each other alive. I understand you don't want to hurt me, and you will do what you need to so that doesn't happen, but I will always come looking for you. I need you to stay with me…"

"Always" Peeta replies, as he strokes her long dark hair and they rest against one another on the sofa.

Neither of them want to go back to the dark days of Peeta's hijacking. Katniss will need to be vigilant. She hopes it is just a "wrinkle" as a result of all the pressure they have been under. Right now, Katniss wishes there was another way to bring Snow's game to an end.

Corionalus Snow has gathered his advisers for a meeting. It has been an arduous task to bring them together while making every effort not to reveal his hiding place. So far, the Rebels had maintained their silence, but the broadcast of Flickerman's interviews last night was beginning to wear his supporter's patience thin. Twice now Snow's granddaughter had been paraded before the people in the traitor's flag. This time Ebony was wearing her hair in one braid over her right shoulder, just as she had done once before when she had been enamoured with Katniss Everdeen, the Girl on Fire. He would kill her himself before he would let the Rebels humiliate her, or him, any further. They gave her a number…one. How many people knew this was his granddaughter? It was hard to know. Flickerman didn't give any indication, but he obviously had a lot on his mind, not least another interview with one of the original "star crossed lovers", Peeta Mellark. The romance between Peeta and Katniss Everdeen had played out after all…to what will be its bitter end, thinks Snow. Right now, he needs to work out how he can turn all this to his advantage.

"You all saw the broadcast last night with the traitors and our children" says Snow, more of a statement than a question.

"Yes" the members of the group reply.

"This cannot be allowed to go on. They are humiliating our children and undermining our cause".

"Actually, some of the Loyalists are hardening their stance against the new Government with these latest developments. They are calling them "hypocrites"" one of the advisers says.

"Hypocrites…? I like that. What an excellent understanding" says Snow.

He mulls this over for a moment and then says

"That is how we will present them. As hypocrites. And we will present our own people as Loyalists. That will get the traitors thinking about how "just" their cause is…when their original complaint was how "unjust" their treatment by the Capitol was" says Snow.

"President Snow, I think we need to begin a new propaganda campaign. One that will highlight these things and bring them to the people's attention, not just our own people. Who knows? Perhaps we can engineer another uprising..." another adviser remarks.

"Hmm" Snow replies, nodding. The Capitol were always masters of propaganda and it was time to match theirs to Paylor's. The new Government had not won all the people over and, while these Games may unify them for now, Snow was going to find a way to break into their ironclad version of justice.


	66. Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Consultation

Peeta had returned with Katniss to their apartment after the two of them had rested together for a long while in Haymitch's apartment. He was quiet and preoccupied. Katniss decides she needs to speak to Gale about what is happening. There are unintended consequences in their plan to bring Snow to justice and Peeta is not the only one paying the price. At the moment, they are nearing the end of their first week of training, but it is already beginning to take a heavy toll on some of the Mentors and there is another training session this afternoon. Katniss finds Gale in the meeting complex where food is being served.

"Gale, we need to talk" Katniss says when she sees him.

Gale can see Katniss looks tired and a little preoccupied.

"What's up Katnip?" he says trying to cheer her up.

"It's Peeta" she tells him.

"What about Peeta?" asks Gale as he gathers some food from the buffet.

"The interviews last night seem to have had an effect on him that we weren't expecting" Katniss says.

"What kind of effect?" Gale asks becoming concerned.

"He left the apartment last night after he came back from the interviews. He thought he was going to have another flashback" Katniss tells him, apprehension in her voice.

Gale becomes uneasy. Katniss had taken the brunt of Peeta's flashbacks before and she had been lucky to survive. The last time he could have killed their unborn child as well.

"What did you do?" asks Gale.

"He didn't tell me at first and said he just needed to be alone. I went back to bed and when I woke up I couldn't find him in the apartment. He had gone to see Haymitch and fallen asleep on the sofa there. That's where I found him this morning and he told me he left because he thought he was going to have another flashback" Katniss tells him.

Gale looks thoughtful. He assumed Peeta had buried his demons after the last incident with Katniss. There had been no indication that the results of Peeta's hijacking would become an issue again and it could not come at a worse time.

"Gale, these Games are taking a toll on us all. Haymitch, Peeta, me. I don't know what I would have done if you and Peeta hadn't been there the day I saw Plutarch again for the first time. The Games are bringing up old memories and stirring strong emotions. I'm not sure if this is the best way to bring Snow to justice" says Katniss.

"Katniss, the toll has already been taken by the actions of the Capitol. These are just reactions to what the Capitol has already done. That is why we need to confront them…so that you, Peeta, Haymitch, all of us can finally have peace. And part of that is justice. We can't stop now" Gale says.

"It's just, well, it seemed we were moving on with our lives and things were getting better. Now I feel we are being dragged back to the darkest days before we defeated Snow. I feel like I am one of the Tributes being thrown into the Arena again…not knowing what to expect, what the dangers are, who is going to come out of the ordeal alive…"

Gale knows Katniss is afraid for Peeta. She is afraid for her family and her future. So is he.

"Katniss, this was never going to be easy and we all have to remember why we are here. Of course, these Games are going to trigger strong reactions, even if you are not the one going into the Arena again. You have had to live through them twice, which is bad enough. We are going to have to band together and help each other".

Katniss knows Gale is right. They will need to meet the challenge of these Games together.

"I will keep an eye on Peeta and you need to let me know if you think his condition is deteriorating. Hopefully, that won't be the case, but we have the resources in the Capitol to help him again if it does. You need to be watchful as well, Katniss, and be prepared to leave the apartment on short notice, if necessary, and take the children with you. You should tell your mother as well".

Katniss is hoping it won't come to that and believes there is still a chance someone might come forward with some information about Snow. That really is the ultimate goal and the reason they are putting themselves through this. For Katniss, seeing Peeta this way again makes it even more imperative. Peeta deserves justice.

"I will also talk to Paylor and Plutarch about completing the training sessions sooner than the two weeks we had agreed on which will end your involvement with the Tributes. Once the Games begin, there will be nothing more you can do for them and you don't even have to watch" says Gale.

Katniss knows that Gale means they can excuse themselves from any more heartache if they do not want to experience the demise of their Tributes, but she is always astounded at the way he can be so detached from the human element of suffering whether it be during the Rebellion or during the Games. Gale is hardened in a way Peeta has never been. Peeta is reachable in a way that Gale is not, even after his hijacking. Katniss needs to get back to him now and excuses herself after thanking Gale for offering to talk to Paylor and Plutarch.

When Katniss gets back to the apartment she finds Peeta and Prim all covered in flour. Peeta has decided to do some baking to take his mind off the Games, her mother's suggestion, and he and Prim have been working together to come up with a tasty home baked lunch. They have obviously been doing more than focusing on the task at hand and when Peeta sees the look on Katniss' face as she returns, he begins to laugh. Katniss scoops Prim up in her arms and then wraps an arm around Peeta as well. She holds him tight and kisses him. She doesn't care about the mess. Whatever Peeta is baking it smells delicious and she can't wait to eat with the Peeta and the family before the next training session. This is their time to enjoy and Katniss wants to make the most of it.


	67. Chapter 67

Chapter 67: Advance

Peeta and Katniss return to the training area in the afternoon. They find the Tributes subdued and realize the interviews must have been hard on them, too. For the most part, the Tributes had sat quietly through the experience as they were forced to confront the feelings of both the Mentors and the people from the Districts. It had not only been a salutary lesson for Flickerman. Both Peeta and Katniss find this aspect of the Games disturbing and want to refocus their attention on preparing the Tributes for the Arena.

Peeta takes the lead by instructing the Tributes to show him, and Katniss, what they have learnt so far. He also asks the Tributes to show them any other skills they have which could be used in the Arena. Lorcan opts to go first and sets a reasonably good snare for catching small prey. His hidden talent is cooking. He tells his Mentors that he can rustle up a tasty meal with just a few ingredients and Katniss has also introduced him to some new ideas in terms of what can be eaten in the woods. Lorcan is happy to experiment.

Verity displays her skills with camouflage, having learnt from Peeta and being a natural talent. Her hidden skill is imitation or mimicking. She has a gift for mimicking animal and bird calls which may be useful for attracting prey or, alternatively, scaring hunters away in the Arena.

Ramsay displays his strength in a wrestling match with Peeta. He has wanted to display this skill since his confrontation with Peeta and it's his chance to regain some of his wounded pride. Peeta, of course, is much stronger, but Ramsay's skill takes Peeta by surprise. Once he has him on the ground in a choke hold, he forces Peeta to tap out, showing Ramsay is the stronger man in that moment. Peeta has decided he doesn't want to take all the pride or hope away from his Tributes. They were going to need it to survive. Once Ramsay had learnt that Peeta would not tolerate his disrespect of Katniss, there had been an undeclared truce between them and now an element of respect was beginning to creep into their relationship. Ramsay finishes by building a useful shelter, impressing both Peeta and Katniss.

Ottilia, being lithe and with an athletic build, has allowed Peeta to help her focus on her agility and she is able to show them her ability to move swiftly through an obstacle course which will help her evade possible capture. Her hidden talent is somewhat unexpected. Ottilia has discovered that she is very flexible and can manouevre her body in ways that will allow her to fit into small or awkward spaces, a talent which might assist her in remaining hidden from the enemy. This was a bonus for Ottilia after both Peeta and Katniss had despaired of her developing any skills to aid in her own survival.

This was the last session Peeta and Katniss would have with the Tributes alone. There would be new trainers coming in next week to go over weaponry…which would come in useful for the sole survivor of the first Arena. The Tributes are still not aware that the Arena they will be delivered into will only be the first of two. Plurarch's "wrinkles" were becoming deadlier. For now, it is time to break for the coming weekend. The Tributes will have some down time and Peeta and Katniss will travel to District 4 for the weekend with Annie and Katniss' mother. This would give Katniss' mother a chance to rest and for the rest of the family to spend time with Finn and Annie. Gale has been invited, too. He wants to be on hand in case there are any concerns around Peeta and his flashbacks. Katniss has not told Peeta she had spoken to Gale, and Gale tells Peeta he is travelling with them for security reasons due to their heightened profiles with the announcement of the Capitol Games. As long as he and Katniss are together, Peeta doesn't mind who else travels with them.

Before Peeta and Katniss gather the children, and any supplies they need for the weekend, they decide to check on Haymitch. They had not seen him since leaving the apartment that morning and then it was only for a perfunctory goodbye.

Haymitch is sitting at the table with a mug of coffee in front of him and an open book detailing dangerous creatures which can be found in the tropics. Staring up at him is a spider with red spikes sticking out of its body which looks colourful, but potentially deadly. Katniss doesn't remember seeing any of these during the Quarter Quell, but they had bigger problems to worry about there. The creations of the Gamemakers were much for fearsome than these little creatures.

"Haymitch" says Katniss. "Reading up for the Tributes?" she asks him.

"Hmm" he replies. "But with the Gamemakers you can never tell. It's not nature you need to be concerned about as much as the concoctions of the Gamemakers themselves…"

"True" says Peeta. "Nothing can prepare you for those…" remembering the monkeys and the Jabberjays.

Katniss decides to move the conversation along.

"We are going to head to District 4 for the weekend with Annie and my mother. Gale is coming, too. Would you like to join us?" she asks. She really doesn't want to leave Haymitch on his own over the weekend.

"Ahhh…" Haymitch seems reluctant.

"Bring your books and I'll test you on your knowledge" Peeta says.

"It's not me I'm worried about" says Haymitch.

"Well, we're worried about you" says Katniss. "We're not leaving you on your own, Haymitch. Prim misses you and since you haven't had a drink for a couple of days, it's time you spent some time with her and Pik. They need you". Katniss means it. Haymitch had become part of their family and she wants to encourage him to think about that, rather than the Games.

Haymitch looks wistful. He misses Prim. He's been too drunk most of the time to get to know Pik. Pik's diagnosis is the reason he started drinking again. Haymitch is tired of facing into a world filled with injustice. Alcohol is his escape. But, somehow, its affects never last. At least, not long enough. He has to find a better way.

"OK" says Haymitch, less reluctantly, as he begins to look forward to spending time with the family again.

Gale has organized a couple of military vehicles for the trip to District 4 and night is falling by the time they arrive. The smell of the sea is enticing and reminds them of Finnick. The group is reflective as they head to bed at the end of a long day. For now, they have left the Capitol and the Games behind. At least the new Games...


	68. Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Real

It is a perfect time to be in District 4. The sun is shining and the sea is crystal clear. Like a breath of fresh air, it helps the Mentors to relax and begin to enjoy the experience. Prim is as excited as any child could be with the newness of the ocean, the waves, the sand and the creatures. Peeta starts to show her all the interesting things that can be found on the beach and they gather some shells to bring back to Annie's later. Sometime soon they will take them home to District 12 and it will be the beginning of Prim's first collection…creating memories and teaching her about the world.

Katniss sits on the beach with Pik and watches them. She loves to watch Peeta and Prim together. He is such a good father and her heart swells with pride. She can't believe how lucky she is…that Peeta is hers and he is here. The threat of one of his flashbacks had affected Katniss more deeply than she realized, taking her back to the time when Peeta was held captive in the Capitol and she didn't know whether she would ever see him alive again. Pik is resting peacefully in her arms and she holds him closer. Peeta looks across at them and he is holding up a conch shell that he and Prim have found. He smiles at Katniss and it reminds her of the moment he had found the pearl in the shell at the Quarter Quell. It's the little things, Katniss thinks, and smiles back at him.

Haymitch is testing the water with Gale, Annie and Finn. Finn, of course, is a natural in the water and it's not long before Prim wants to join him, splashing in the small waves breaking on the shore. Peeta leaves Haymitch to watch Prim and goes back to join Katniss on the beach.

"I think Prim likes it here" Peeta says.

"it's wonderful" says Katniss. "So different to District 12. I think I will miss it when we leave".

"Well, we don't have to leave just yet" says Peeta as he takes Pik out of Katniss' arms and encourages her to join Annie in the water. There is plenty of splashing and laughter as Haymitch, Katniss and Prim vs Gale, Annie and Finn in a contest. Peeta looks down at Pik who is beginning to stir. It's not the noise that has wakened him and, sadly, he will never hear the sounds of their laughter or the waves lapping on the shore. That realization feeds into Peeta's resolve. The resolve that reminds him he could have lost Katniss. They may never have had Pik. And there was no going back in their quest to bring Snow to justice.

Several hours later, the group return to Annie's for something to eat before putting the children down for an afternoon nap. Haymitch decides to take a nap, too. Katniss, Peeta, Gale and Annie enjoy cool drinks and some lively conversation. It soon becomes apparent that Gale and Annie are enjoying each other's company in a way that Katniss had not expected. Gale is relaxed and less serious while Annie responds to the better side of his nature as he recounts stories from their past. His and Katniss' past. Peeta can see a realization dawning on Katniss as she becomes more subdued and starts to argue different points of the stories with Gale. He decides Katniss needs time out from the company, and Gale and Annie need some time alone. This is not what he had expected either, but it is high time that Gale and Annie moved on with their futures, too.

"Katniss and I are going for a walk" Peeta says.

Katniss looks at him reproachfully. She doesn't want to go for a walk.

"Come on, Katniss. Let's see if I can find you another pearl on the beach" Peeta says.

That comment wins her over and the two of them leave Gale and Annie to spend some time alone.

"You're jealous" Peeta says to Katniss as they head down to the water.

"No, I'm not!" she refutes him.

"Oh, yes you are…" Peeta teases her.

Katniss doesn't know how she feels, but she knows she doesn't feel comfortable about Gale and Annie becoming closer.

"It's just…well, Gale is not Annie's type" she says.

"Who's type is he?" asks Peeta, challenging Katniss to think about how she is feeling.

Katniss doesn't know. She never thought about Gale loving anybody else.

"Annie is too soft and caring for Gale. She will only get hurt" Katniss tells him.

"I think you are underestimating Annie and maybe she is just what Gale needs. Someone to soften him up a bit" says Peeta.

Katniss knows she is not the kind to soften Gale up. She had never tried to in the past as the two of them had mainly focused on their survival. That always meant toughening each other up, for whatever lay ahead.

"Katniss, I know you love Gale. He is your closest friend. Annie is your friend, too. They have both helped us so much. We need to let them become friends now and maybe they can have something like we have, something that is life changing and real" Peeta tells her.

Real. Real or not real? Katniss remembers Peeta's words to her. They held such significance and such expectation and they take her right back to the moment of that awakening. Silent tears begin to fall down her cheeks. Peeta holds her close and wipes her tears. What they have is real. He knows it. Katniss knows it. It goes to the depth of their being and now maybe Gale and Annie would have something real, too. But, it means letting go and continuing to embrace what they have…real or not real. Real.

Peeta and Katniss continue their walk along the beach and eventually find an alcove of rocks where they decide to sit and shelter from the suns warm rays. They listen to the waves lapping on the shore and hear the distant sounds of children playing in the sea. Once before, they had sat on the beach together in a moment like this, when Peeta had prepared to give up everything for Katniss. It was the moment Katniss realized that only one person would be affected if anything happened to Peeta. Her.

Katniss turns towards Peeta.

"I need you…" she tells him again. With that, she kisses him deeply, with a longing she had felt ever since that day. Peeta responds in kind. Hidden in the shelter of the rocks, it feels like only yesterday and the moment is as precious to them now as it was then. Peeta and Katniss are in love. That is all that matters.


	69. Chapter 69: Pawns

Chapter 69: Pawns

Their last day in District 4 passes too quickly. The beach is enticing and the children continue to enjoy the fresh air and freedom while the Mentors make the most of the relaxed atmosphere. Katniss has begun to make peace with idea of Gale and Annie becoming closer. She would never want to deny anyone what she and Peeta have, but it had been an unexpected revelation and a jolt to her sensibilities. Peeta realized that, and reminded Katniss that they were not the only ones who deserved happiness going into the future.

During their final evening meal, just before heading back to the Capitol, an announcement appears on the screen in Annie's kitchen. It is Mandatory viewing and advises that due to difficulties with the communications system there will be limited broadcasts for the time being. Gale wonders what that could mean and something about the broadcast seems ominous to him. He needs to get back to the Capitol and talk to Beetee about what is happening. If it is interference by the Rebels then it means they have been effective in stirring up the hornet's nest. The Government and the Mentors will need to be prepared.

As they ready themselves for return to the Village, Prim decides she doesn't want to leave. She begins to fuss and Katniss tells her that they will come back soon. They would all like that, she thinks. The weekend has been good for Peeta and there has been no sign of him having any more flashbacks. In fact, he and Katniss have become even closer, bonding through memories of what they had already survived. Peeta is going back to the Capitol with renewed resolve. Katniss can sense it.

When they finally get back to the Capitol, Gale's first stop is Beetee's apartment. Beetee informs Gale that there has been attempted interference with the Capitol's communications network and it is assumed the Resistance are behind it. He tells Gale that the interference indicates they were trying to hijack the system, rather than disrupt it entirely, which could mean someone has a message for the people...a message that will attempt to set them at odds with the Government and disrupt the current status quo. Gale asks Beetee if there has been any word on Snow's whereabouts and Beetee replies in the negative. Snow's family are all under house arrest, but Snow has been careful not to divulge any of the details to his loved ones. He has done this for his protection and theirs. They can't be made to provide information which they do not have. Unfortunately, it has not prevented his granddaughter from becoming a pawn in the new Government's Games. It is a clever way to get to the heart of the Resistance, using their children as pawns, but even if his family's resolve has been weakened Snow knows they are helpless to provide the information the Government wants. It will have to come from the Resistance or Snow himself.

The following morning the Mentors are called to a meeting. Paylor and Gale are in attendance. Paylor informs the Mentors that there has been an attempted hijacking of the Capitol's communication system and they are now trying to determine where the interference came from. She advises them that the Resistance are reacting to the initiative of the Games, but there is still no further word on Snow. This means weapons training will be going ahead today and the Games are set to begin at the end of the week. The Mentors can choose to participate in the training or are now free to leave and return to their Districts. This is to relieve them of any further stress, as Gale had requested. Paylor states that they have all played their parts admirably and she thanks them for their efforts which she knows must have been difficult in the circumstances. She also tell them that if she receives any word on Snow they will be the first to know, and she hopes this will be soon.

The Mentors leave the meeting feeling somewhat dejected. They have played their part in the Capitol Games and are now only nominal in the lives and deaths of their Tributes. They are being dismissed, sent back to the lives they have attempted to piece together since the Rebellion. Johanna is the first one to decide that she has had enough of being a pawn in these new Games and tells them she is returning to District 3. If there is going to be an increase in Rebel activity, she wants to be part of the efforts to bring Snow to justice. Beetee knows he should return to District 3, but still wants to give his Tributes a fighting chance and pass on as much of his knowledge as possible. Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch feel the same. Enobaria will stay because fighting is what she knows best and she is not immune to the fact that these Tributes have had very little time to prepare for the Arena. She had a whole lifetime to prepare for her victory.

Katniss and Peeta return to their apartment to mull over what Paylor has said. There are still a few days for information about Snow to trickle through, and neither of them want to leave their Tributes to face the prospect of the Games without a Mentor by their side. The Tributes families are absent and, by all accounts, prepared for them to die. This is not what Katniss and Peeta were hoping for and neither of them had wanted to see any more children forced into the Arena. After acknowledging to each other that they have made a connection with their Tributes, Peeta and Katniss decide they will remain with them until the bitter end. More of a presence, than active participants, they will do whatever they can to ensure their Tributes are prepared and ready for what will be a fight to the death.

In the training centre that afternoon, Peeta and Katniss watch on as the Tributes confront this new reality. The reality of deadly weapons and deadly intentions. Ottilia is refusing to pick up a weapon and spends a lot of time in tears again. She says she doesn't know why she is here…she has never done anything wrong. Lorcan tries to comfort her and tells her just to focus on the things she is already good at, like running and hiding. He tells her a weapon will just give her a better chance if she is caught or found by one of the other Tributes. This seems to reassure her and she reluctantly agrees to learn how to use more long range weapons, like the bow and arrow. Katniss can help her with this and does.

The boys learn to use close combat weaponry, such as knives and machetes, as they are more likely to survive an attack and end up in close quarters with the enemy. Brute force might win the day and Lorcan and Ramsay put all their energy into practicing deadly close quarter manoeuvres with the trainers. Verity focuses on the stealth attack. She wants to kill quickly and quietly and hopefully not have to look the enemy in the eye...at least not until they are dead.

Peeta and Katniss aren't able to explain to the Tributes that they will be the only four Tributes in the initial arena, and that they will need to confront one another in order to survive. Perhaps the option for allies still exists, but it won't last long. There are not enough Tributes, and sooner or later they are going to work out that only one of them can escape the first Arena. Plutarch has made sure of that.

Katniss recalls how she had not known Peeta's intentions as they had gone into the Games the first time. He had been sending her mixed messages, or at least that was how she interpreted them, and she had probably done the same with him. At the time, it seemed there was no other way. They had been thrown together during the Reaping, forced to train together, and encouraged by Haymitch to bond as a way of encouraging sponsors. Then, they been torn apart, forced to compete and made to confront one another as enemies. No wonder they were confused. None of it made sense at the time. Only a desperate attempt at survival had made sense. That is, until the announcement that there could be two Victors if they both originated from the same District.

Katniss hopes there will be an announcement during these Games, too. One that will put an end not only to the Games, but to the mystery of Snow's whereabouts as well. It is Snow who needs to die and she is still determined to be the one to kill him.


	70. Chapter 70

**Capitol Games: This is the next instalment following on from Purpose Meets Poison. The Games are about to begin…**

Chapter 70: Battlestations

"Citizens of Panem" begins Coriolanus Snow "this is your President speaking. As you know, the new Government of Panem has decided to re-institute the Games, those Games they supposedly fought so hard to eliminate. I want you now to consider the hypocrisy of your government. This is a Government that prides itself on being "just" and they would have you believe that deposing me was the first act in their design to create a more "just" Panem. It seems rather odd to me that, for all their talk of justice and the desire to end the animosity between our peoples, they are now prepared to generate a new animosity using the Capitol's children. Your Government has lied to you. They told you I was dead. You all know that Katniss Everdeen never fired her arrow at me and it is obvious now that I was never killed...which is what you were led to believe. The Mockingjay's intentions on that day were not to liberate you, but to carry out her own inadequate form of vengeance on the people who she believed had harmed her and her family. This girl is nothing more than a spiteful product of the Games and I want you to consider what that means. She is once again encouraging violence, in order to satisfy her own need for revenge, by forcing Capitol children into the Games. I ask you to look into your hearts and make up your own minds…is Katniss Everdeen really who she says she is, or is she just a tormented soul seeking revenge, dragging you all into her sad little story. You decide".

The broadcast cuts out and Katniss is in shock. So is Peeta. It's primetime viewing and somehow, in spite of the Government's efforts, Snow has managed to hijack the Capitol's communications system in order to reveal that he is still alive. It is a master stroke. The broadcast is going to cause a major uproar as the dirty little secret that the Government has tried to keep hidden from the people is now exposed. It could be their undoing. Within minutes of the broadcast the phone begins to ring and the Mentors are called to a meeting with Paylor, Plutarch and Gale.

Katniss can't believe that Snow has been willing to expose himself in this manner, although there was little in the broadcast to help determine his whereabouts. Snow has decided to join the game after all, and this was the best opportunity they had yet to coax him out of his hiding place. But first, the Government will have to confront the full force of the people's reaction to this shocking revelation, and their deception. If the people's response is anything like Katniss', all hell will break loose on the streets of Panem, and the price to be paid could be the fall of the Government.

"Put me in another Propo" Katniss demands as soon as she sees Plutarch. Her hatred of Plutarch and her hatred of propos go hand in hand...Katniss had always hated making Propos...but this was different. There was no time to lose, and Katniss had something to say. There would be no need to put words into her mouth this time.

"Katniss, after what Snow has just said maybe putting you in a Propo will only incite people" Plutarch says.

"They need to know the truth. Snow is a liar. He is trying to make the Rebellion about me, just like he did before we overran the Capitol. It was Snow who "plucked" me from the masses when he tried to put my sister into the Games and it was Snow who turned me into the Mockingjay! No Games, no Mockingjay. That is the truth!"

The people in the room know they had assisted in that ironic twist of fate by using Katniss as the face of the Rebellion. But now she could prove more divisive. Katniss had blamed them, too, for their deception and now Snow was presenting her as a vengeful warrior, bent on destroying those who she believed had harmed her. He had painted a picture of a weak and wilful girl who had the capacity to deceive the Government and the people. The Government needed to calm the storm that Snow had created by admitting the ingenious plot of the Resistance in rescuing him, the plot designed so they could continue their fight against the new Government and the people of Panem.

"Katniss…" Paylor interjects. Katniss isn't listening. She knows what she needs to do.

"I want to challenge Snow! I want to counteract the lies he is telling about me. People still don't know why I killed Coin…"

Peeta knows why Katniss killed Coin. Katniss had been used and abused by the people leading the Rebellion and so, in the end, had her sister Prim. Coin had tried to use Peeta as a weapon again, a weapon intended to destroy her, and Katniss knew Alma Coin was no better than Coriolanus Snow when it came to her power hungry aspirations. Coin would have led Panem right back into the darkness that had surrounded Snow's Presidency, and too much had been lost to allow that to happen. It had been a desperately lonely place for Katniss, making the decision to take that burden onto her shoulders, but she was powerless to resist the urge to do what she knew was right. It meant Prim would not have died for nothing. The truth is, Prim should not have died at all.

"Katniss" says Paylor. "We will consider using you if we think that it will help to quell any hysteria brought about by Snow's broadcast. Right now, we don't know what the consequence of his Propo will be, but it is sure to have an effect. Let's see what the reaction is, and we'll call on you if we need you" she finishes.

Katniss is tired of other people deciding when she can and can't be used. She knows what she needs to do…not just for herself, but for Peeta's Tributes. They are due to enter the Arena any day now, along with Snow's granddaughter, and Snow is no closer to stopping the Games by giving himself up than he ever was. He wants to start a new Revolution and Katniss is having none of it. She is going to finish the Revolution that her handful of berries began and neither Paylor, nor Plutarch, are going to stop her.

Gale knows Katniss well enough to sense that she is not going to take "no" for an answer. Katniss is going to take control and both Peeta and Gale are helpless to stop her. The war between Katniss and Snow is on again and it is going to be an epic battle.


	71. Chapter 71

Chapter 71: Reaction

Katniss intercepts Beetee after the meeting to ask for his help. He agrees. He will help Katniss produce her Propo and make sure it gets the same airtime as Snow's, hopefully before the Government has a chance to advance their own agenda. The Government's deception has got Beetee offside as well.

The following day, the streets of Panem are filled with angry people. There are protestors with placards demanding a response from the Government and an explanation for their deception. They are outraged and the Government needs to act quickly to quell the growing hysteria. Their first initiative is to send Peacekeepers into the streets to ensure the protests remain orderly. This effort at control won't last long if they don't also provide an explanation, and Paylor will need to front the cameras as soon as possible. She will do this in the knowledge that it may be the last time she speaks before the people of Panem if the Government can't assuage their fears and rightful condemnation. Paylor needs to convince them that the Government did what they thought was in the people's best interests by hiding the fact Snow may still be alive.

They televise her speech during the morning Prime time and it is Mandatory viewing.

"Citizens of Panem, as you know, Coriolanus Snow revealed to the whole of Panem last night that he is still alive. This information came into the Government's hands only recently, and was as shocking to us as it is to you". Paylor pauses for effect. "The truth is, we all believed Snow was dead, but in the initial aftermath of the Rebellion and Coin's death, we were unable to obtain his body as proof of his demise. We had to assume, in the circumstances, that Snow had met his death on the same day as Alma Coin. No one had factored in the possibility of an already established group…the Capitol Resistance…who managed to rescue Snow from the people surrounding him after Coin's untimely death. Resistance fighters, disguised as District rebels retrieved him from the Square, unconscious and near death, claiming that he _was_ dead and that they had been ordered to remove his body. The uproar which was caused by Katniss Everdeen's assassination of Coin left us little opportunity to assess the damage until it was already done. Our main priority at the time was to restore order. We, the Government, owe you an apology for our actions, or lack thereof. Rather than focus on our failure, we intend to press ahead with the Capitol Games which are an effort to finally bring Snow to justice. The children selected to enter the Arena are children of Resistance fighters and these Games are designed to effectively bring the Resistance to an end while also ensuring the recapture of Coriolanus Snow. We are calling again for followers of the Resistance to provide any information they have on Snow's whereabouts. If we can do this, then we will have finally achieved our aim of keeping the citizens of Panem both safe and free".

Paylor ends the broadcast hoping her words will have some effect. At the same time, she knows she may have to prepare her resignation, in light of her failings and the failings of her Government. If that is the case, it will have been a short lived victory for those who had hoped to create a new and more just Panem.

Katniss has worked throughout the night on her Propo with Beetee. Of course, there is no Mockingjay outfit for her to wear and she decides that she wants to appear as herself, Katniss Everdeen, one of the ordinary people who has also been deeply affected by the Government's deception. Peeta has remained by her side, not interfering with her intentions or the making of the Propo. This is something that Katniss needs to do and she has his full support.

They see Paylor's broadcast in the morning after snatching a few short hours of sleep. It is what Paylor had promised…an explanation of the Government's inaction and confession of their deception. This is nothing new to Katniss, she has heard it all before. What is new is their attempt to divert the people's anger away from the Government by laying some of the blame on her…for killing Coin. They are making her a scapegoat and the Government is going to feed into Snow's narrative about her, painting her as unpredictable and self-centred. After all, Snow was supposed to be her intended target.

"Katniss, are you ready?" Beetee asks her.

"Yes" she tells him with conviction.

None of the Mentors have attended weapons training with their Tributes today as Snow's reappearance needs to be dealt with first. Paylor's broadcast to the people has had the intended effect, preventing all out riots in the streets, but people still linger on the pavements and in the squares waiting for any kind of an update. They huddle together in small groups commenting on their disgust and disappointment with the Government, not quite willing yet to demand they be overthrown. Snow still poses a threat and there is no one to fill the breach if the Government is deposed.

Beetee signals the beginning of the broadcast.

"Citizens of Panem, this is Katniss Everdeen". Katniss is dressed in a white blouse, open at the neck. Just out of sight is the locket that Peeta had given her during the Quarter Quell and pinned to her blouse is a Mockingjay broach to remind her of her sister. She has her hair is in one braid which hangs over her right shoulder and it is a reminder to her, and the people of Panem, of the young girl who entered the Arena so willingly on behalf of her sister. She hadn't really changed that much. Still prepared to fight for what she knew was right, Katniss faces the cameras and the people.

"First, I would like to address you, and then I will address the man whose design it is to take Panem back to its darkest days, Coriolanus Snow. He has tried to convince you that I am a spiteful "girl", a product of the Games, and unable to control my desire for revenge. On one count he is right. I am a product of the Games, the Games he forced so many of the District's children into as a way of keeping control. The problem for Coriolanus Snow was that he couldn't control me and, ultimately, he couldn't control you. When he realized this, he threatened me and, in spite of me trying to please him in order to protect my family, he forced me into the Arena again. When I escaped he hijacked Peeta, my fiancee, and in an ultimate act of control tried to use him as a weapon against me. This vengeful man is now prepared to force Capitol children into the Arena by stubbornly refusing to give himself up. The purpose of these Games is justice, not revenge, and I would ask Coriolanus Snow to consider coming forward in order to put a stop to the killing".

Katniss takes a moment before she addresses Snow personally.

"Snow, I know you are watching this. You told me once before that everyone knew you were not above killing children, but you disagreed that you would have any reason to kill Capitol children. Tomorrow, you will begin killing Capitol children. You will be killing them because you stubbornly refuse to come forward and face justice. Yes, I could have shot you with my arrow and ended it then, but you had been captured and were powerless to do any more harm to the citizens of Panem. Coin was not. She saw me as a threat, just like you, and she proved this by sending Peeta into the Capitol to join the Star Squad, knowing he had still not recovered from his hijacking. All of Panem saw his attempt on my life which the Capitol aired for their viewing pleasure. Then, Coin arranged for my sister to be brought into the Capitol as a medic just as the Capitol was about to fall to the Rebels. Prim was only 13 years old, much too young to be sent into a war zone. But Coin did it anyway and my sister was killed. Killed by the bombs that destroyed your Presidency".

Katniss allows the listeners to absorb what she is saying.

"Both of you were a threat to the future peace and prosperity of Panem. I don't regret killing Alma Coin. I am just sorry that I could only kill one of you on that day. But, make no mistake Snow, justice is coming. Whether you allow these children to die in the Arena or not, we will meet again, and this time my arrow will be for you".

Beetee ends the broadcast and Katniss falls into Peeta's arms. It has taken all her strength to confess both her heartache and her intentions. Peeta holds her close as he helps to share her burden. Tomorrow they will both carry the weight of having to say goodbye to their Tributes...Katniss and Peeta will need each other even more.


	72. Chapter 72

Chapter 72: Departure

Almost immediately after the Broadcast there are Peacekeepers at Katniss' and Peeta's door. In spite of their protests, Katniss is placed under house arrest and the family are ordered not to leave the apartment until further notice. Katniss knows she has challenged the Government by producing and airing her own Propo which has given people further insight into her motivation, and uncovered potentially damaging information about the final aftermath of the Rebellion. From Paylor's point of view she is proving to be a threat right now, but the people still see her as both a leader and a symbol of the Rebellion so the Government cannot be too heavy handed. Rather than imprison Katniss in the Capitol, she will have Katniss, Peeta and the children returned to District 12 where they will be kept under house arrest. This will give Paylor a chance to sort this whole mess out.

Gale is not permitted to have any contact with the family and is beginning to see another side to the Government, one which is making him rethink his loyalty to them. He had been having doubts for a while, after seeing how the Government had treated Katniss since the Rebellion, and now Gale feels the time is coming for him to make a decision... a decision about whether he can continue to support the Government, and also whether he can continue in his role as Peacekeeper. Gale wants to serve the people, he wants to protect them, too. But he can't do his job effectively if the decision makers, the people in power, are corrupt. He doesn't like the way Paylor has apportioned blame to Katniss for Snow's escape, saying the uproar caused by Coin's assassination was the reason the Government had failed to notice or respond to his disappearance. It was their duty to follow up on Snow and they had been derelict in that duty. Gale knew. He also knew that Katniss had been unaware of the plans of the Capitol Resistance, so her assassination of Coin was irrelevant to the outcome. Gale has a lot to think about.

The following morning preparations are taking place to deliver the Tributes into their various Arenas. Katniss has been told that she will not be permitted to see them before they go, but the other Mentors are allowed to bid them farewell and give them any last minute advice. Peeta tells Katniss he will do what needs to be done, and will make sure the Tributes know how much she regrets the circumstances, and not being able to say goodbye. Katniss holds Peeta for a long time, as those tears of regret spill down her cheeks, before she is willing to let him go. As Peeta walks out the door, Katniss retreats to their bedroom where she gathers Pik in her arms and holds him tightly, vowing not to forget that Snow is the real reason for the Tributes suffering.

Peeta enters the Tribute centre to find his four Tributes dressed and ready for the Arena. They look very much like he and Katniss did on their first incursion into the Arena. He cannot travel with them. They must go alone. But his presence is immediately comforting to them and he tries to be strong.

"Katniss could not be here today" he begins. "She has been placed under house arrest for airing a Propo last night which challenged both Snow and the current Government in relation to their actions. What I want to say to you is…remember Katniss when you go into the Arena. Remember her courage. She has never once failed to remain true to herself, her sense of right and wrong, and her sense of justice. What is happening to you today may seem unjust. It was also unjust when Katniss and I were thrown into the Games. We did not ask to be there, just as you have not asked to be here today and none of you are guilty of any crime. In other words, you do not deserve to be here, but what you do deserve is to be acknowledged and supported. Katniss and I have tried our best to prepare you. The rest is up to you now. The Games could be stopped at any time if Snow is recaptured, so I want you to hold onto that thought as well. Never give up hope. It might just save your life".

Peeta takes Verity in a hug and reminds her that it was his artistic skills that helped him remain hidden until Katniss found him. They could come in very handy and she should focus on those. He takes Ramsay by the hand and the two of them acknowledge each other with respect and understanding. It will take an element of maturity to survive the arena. Ottilia is shaking and Peeta gives her a long hug to help reassure her, promising he will do all he can to make sure the Games are ended as soon as possible. In the meantime, he reminds her to use the skills she has now learnt to keep herself alive. Lorcan looks at Peeta with respect and admiration. Out of all the Tributes, Lorcan is the most like Peeta and their understanding and appreciation of one another runs deep. Lorcan is not afraid. He wants to make Peeta proud and Peeta wants Lorcan to survive. There will never be another Katniss, so Peeta doesn't know how Lorcan will make it through this ordeal, but maybe Lorcan will be able to survive on his own. He hopes they will all survive. Peeta takes his leave as the Tributes are led to the hovercraft that will bring them to their destination. He makes it as far as the outer area of the Training Centre before he breaks down, punching the wall and slamming his head against it, then slowly sliding to the ground and sobbing for what he knows will be lost.


	73. Chapter 73

Chapter 73: Broken

The Peacekeepers step aside from the door to allow Peeta to pass. Katniss rushes to him. She can see he is hurt. His head is bloody and his face is tear stained. Peeta allows Katniss to take him in her arms as he buries his face in her beautiful long black hair. It keeps him hidden from her mother, and Prim, who are crowding around to see what has happened. It also keeps him hidden from himself.

"Peeta" Katniss whispers in his ear. "We need to tend to that" she says.

Peeta eventually lifts his face as Prim asks him…

"Daddy, what happened?" She sounds afraid.

"It's OK, Prim. Daddy just had a little accident. I will be alright" Peeta tells her.

Katniss' mother sees the angry mark and then notices Peeta's hand which is also scraped and bleeding.

"Peeta, let me take a look at those for you" she says.

Katniss leads him to the couch and her mother gathers some things to clean the wounds. She needs to get bandages and asks the Peacekeepers if they have any First Aid kits with them. One of them goes out to their vehicle and comes back with what she needs. She thanks him and returns to Peeta as he takes Prim on his knee.

"Does it hurt?" Prim asks him.

"A little" Peeta says.

Prim looks at him sympathetically with tears in her eyes. She pulls Peeta's head closer to hers and kisses his forehead.

"Grandma will fix it" Prim says.

Tears begin to fill Peeta's eyes again. Nothing can fix what they have just put in motion and Peeta takes Prim in his arms as he begins to sob again. Katniss places her arms around them both and lets Peeta cry. Tears begin to flow down her cheeks as well and Prim is the saddest she has ever been. She doesn't like to see her Mummy and Daddy upset. It scares her.

Katniss' mother coaxes Prim to come with her to help gather what she needs to tend to Peeta. For now he and Katniss need a moment alone.

"They're gone, Katniss. They're gone". There is incomprehension in Peeta's eyes, as though somehow this is just a bad dream he wishes he could wake up from.

"Some of them, maybe none of them, will ever come back. I sent them off to the Games, Katniss, something I swore I would never do and they are blameless, just like we were. I feel so helpless…helpless to stop the killing" Peeta tells her.

"The only one who can stop the killing is Snow, Peeta. Neither of us wanted it to come to this, but Snow has to pay for what he has done" Katniss reminds him. She knows how traumatic this experience has been for Peeta. It is exactly what was done to them and, in truth, they both have more of a connection to the innocent Tributes than they do to the Capitol…even if these are Capitol children.

"When we went into the Games the first time, I remember telling you that I just didn't want them to change me. I wanted to show them that I wasn't just another piece in their Games. Now, these children are pieces in a game we are playing. Maybe Snow and the Capitol did change me after all" Peeta says.

"No, Peeta" Katniss insists. "We are here because we wouldn't let them change us. They did their best to destroy us, but they failed. This is not our game, it is still Snow's game and until he is caught he will always be playing games with our lives. We are still in the game, Peeta, and this is the only way to bring it to an end".

"How can we live with ourselves, Katniss? If any of these children die…" Peeta wonders.

"We've had to live with a lot of deaths, Peeta, some by our own hand. That is what happens in war. People die. Innocent people…like Prim. But it will never stop until we put an end to it ourselves, and this is the only way" Katniss says.

Peeta hangs his head. Katniss sounds like Gale, but he knows she is not like him. Katniss would never accept the death of innocent people as a means of exacting revenge. What she was talking about was justice, but even justice comes at a price.

"Look at me…" Katniss insists.

Peeta looks at her and she takes his face in her hands.

"I need you to stay with me" she reminds him as she kisses him tenderly on his lips.

Always, Peeta thinks as he returns her kiss. Katniss is still protecting him. Real or not real? Real.

The Tributes have been delivered to the outskirts of the Arena. The four of them had travelled together and Ottilia was particularly offended when they attempted to insert the needle with the Tracker into her arm. She refused to hold her arm out, even though Ramsay and Lorcan had complied with the request before her, so Verity had chosen to go next and show Ottilia it wasn't that bad. Finally, Ottilia agreed to the inevitable, turning her face away while Lorcan provided a distraction. This was more brutal than she had imagined, but she knew it was only going to get worse.

Once they had arrived, they were escorted from the Hovercraft and given their instructions.

"Each of you will be conveyed via an underground tube to a different part of the Arena. Your mission, at this point, is to find the only exit which is a delivery point to a second, and final, Arena. There will be no weapons located here as it is about survival skills and strategy. You will be provided with some basic items, no two the same, and it is up to you to work out how you will escape from this Arena in order to move on to the next part of the Games".

"Does that mean we are the only four Tributes in this Arena?" Lorcan asks, realizing that they had not been told the specifics of the Games. The fact there was a second Arena meant the other Tributes were probably being delivered to other "satellite" arenas as they spoke.

"That is correct" they are told.

It suddenly dawns on them that they will have to confront one another in order to survive, or maybe they can team up to make it to the second and final Arena.

"I want to remind you that there can only be one Victor, just like in all the Games that have gone before…apart from that one exception" the Instructor tells them.

They all know which the "one exception" was and how that "one exception" had managed to bring down the Capitol. They were sure there would be no exceptions this time, but maybe, just maybe, one of their parents, or even Snow himself, would take pity on them and realize the folly of their ways. This wasn't the way to treat anyone, not just Capitol children. The Tributes were being forced to grow up fast, or possibly die trying.

 **Theme song for the end of this chapter: Conrad Sewell "Remind Me". This one's for Peeta.**


	74. Chapter 74

Chapter 74: Commencement

A peacekeeper stands beside Lorcan. The delivery tube is in front of him. He has never felt so alone. This is the moment where Lorcan decides he needs to be strong…strong for Peeta, strong for his fellow Tributes, strong for the family who has abandoned him. There is no going back. The only thing for him to do is to push forward, into an unknown arena and an unknown future. He hopes he will be brave and not let anyone down. Lorcan takes a deep breath as he enters the delivery tube with both determination and dread.

The first thing that assaults his senses is the deafening silence of the tube. It is dead air and nothing penetrates it, only the sound of his rapidly beating heart. Claustrophobic and all encompassing, this tube will take him from one world into the next…the world of the Capitol Games. As the ascent begins it is slow and agonizing, as Lorcan waits to be confronted with what could be the last place on earth he will see while he is still alive. He hopes it is beautiful, so that any final vision will remind him of all that is good in the world. He knows there is good, he knows he is here to promote the good and Lorcan knows Peeta would not have allowed this to happen to him if ultimate good was not the hoped for outcome. He was doing this for Peeta.

Lorcan rises to a world of shadows. The woods are thick and the air is scented with dampness. Beside him is a warning light to advise him when he can take flight from his marker, but not yet. It is counting down slowly, backwards from 60, and Lorcan uses the time to look around and try to discover the route he will use for his escape. Straight ahead, at the base of a large pine tree, is a black backpack. It must contain some of the supplies he needs and Lorcan wonders what items the Gamemakers have provided. Hopefully some wire for a snare, as Lorcan knows food and water will be essential for survival, while warmth and shelter will be his second priority.

20, 19, 18…the numbers continue to count down as Lorcan's fear rises and he prepares to launch himself from the marker ready to head for the trees.

Blinded by the sun, as the tube delivers her into the arena, Ebony Snow finds herself in a desolate and frozen landscape. Defiant, and determined to beat the Gamemakers at whatever type of game they are playing, she reflects on the eleven years she had spent living with her Grandfather and hopes she has learnt more than a strategy or two that she can use to keep herself alive. Ebony quickly puts on the sunglasses provided and begins to take in the arena. She is facing a range of small mountains, maybe three in total. She decides this must be their destination as they have been told they will need to find the exit to the second arena somewhere within this one. Apart from the mountains, there are only a few rocky outcrops and sparsely dotted pine trees. The landscape is barren, and not at all inviting…especially if you want to remain hidden from your enemy.

Ebony Snow had been to the mountain ranges at the edge of District One on a number of occasions with her Grandfather and their family. They had spent time during the winter months skiing, sledding and enjoying some of the finer perks of Capitol life. She has plenty of well-honed skills to bring to this arctic landscape and would be feeling confident except for one thing. She is alone. There are no servants or avoxes to do her bidding or guards to ensure her safety. Ebony needs to find food, shelter and ultimately will need to confront people who want to kill her. She is no longer the pampered granddaughter of Coriolanus Snow, but a Tribute in a deadly game, one her Grandfather had championed. Was he really going to let her die? Maybe he thought she could win. Was he really going to take a chance on the outcome? Obviously he was. Ebony knows now…something she had probably always known. She is just another piece in his games and the Games are about to begin.

As the countdown continues, Ebony notices a backpack lying at the base of a rocky outcrop to her left. Though some distance away, it lies shimmering and bright orange in the sunlight. In order to grab it, she needs to move away from the mountain, and thankfully, so far, she doesn't see any other Tributes waiting to alight their markers. Ebony guesses that they must have been delivered to other areas around the base of the mountains which are currently hidden from her view. That's good. It will give her the time she needs to gather her backpack and prepare for what lies ahead. She needs to make her way to the mountain before nightfall. The cold is already beginning to creep into her bones as she listens to the final countdown from the Capitol. 10, 9, 8…

Coriolanus Snow is watching. He had caused a stir with his propaganda video and was delighted with the outcry it had caused. The citizens of Panem were protesting against their government, some of them calling for it to be overthrown, and this was just the opportunity he needed. Katniss Everdeen had also gone on the offensive, after the Government had played nicely into his hands, aligning themselves with his rhetoric of an unstable and vengeful Victor. The Mockingjay was still trying to convince the people that he was the enemy and that right was on her side, but now the Games had begun and only time would tell how the obvious hypocrisy would play out with the population of Panem.

Coriolanus Snow has reluctantly decided to allow his granddaughter to be used as a piece in the Capitol Games. It may eventually generate sympathy for his cause, but in truth it was her humiliation that had caused his change of heart. He found it hard to stomach the sight of her now, after she had been paraded, not once, but twice, in the flag of the new government of Panem. She had sat meekly during Caesar Flickerman's interview of the mentors and had, for some unknown reason, allowed the Stylists to put her hair in a braid which hung over her right shoulder, just like Katniss Everdeen. Snow remembers her wearing it like that before and how he commented on it at the time. He felt the same disgust then as he does now and wants to distance himself from this child made to look like a traitor.

Peeta, in the meantime, has allowed Katniss to minister to his heart, while her mother has ministered to his wounds. After reassuring everyone that he would be OK, Katniss has taken Peeta to their bed, refusing to leave him alone in his grief and his pain. They hold each other in that same embrace…the one that always helped to banish Katniss' nightmares. It is an embrace of understanding, trust and mutual love, only this time it is Peeta who needs to be comforted and Katniss who is providing the relief. Peeta just needs to feels Katniss in his arms. She is his reassurance that everything will be OK and Peeta knows that as long as he has her, he has a purpose. At the same time, Katniss knows she has what she needs to survive. Peeta.

The residents of Panem have finally tuned into the Games. The Government is grateful now for the distraction that these Games will provide and the timing could not have been better, in light of Snow's propaganda offensive. These are no ordinary Games and, rather than focus on the Government's hypocrisy, the people are enthusiastic, if not excited, to see the Capitol children go through what their own children have had to endure. It is with a degree of delight that they await the words "Let the Capitol Games begin" and anticipate the Tributes taking off from their markers to begin the fight to survive. The decision has been made to stagger the Tributes' entrance into the various arenas an hour apart. This is for the peoples viewing pleasure. That way they can watch the launch for each arena and see how the Tributes fare in the first hour. The Government has spared no expense in bringing to the people what will be the biggest event since Katniss Everdeen put her arrow through Alma Coin's heart.

Tonight Katniss hopes she has not put an arrow through her own heart as she watches Peeta finally fall asleep.


	75. Chapter 75

Chapter 75: Cannons

Six cannons had gone off already. Two for the Swamp arena, one each for the Sea, Tropics, Desert and Arctic landscapes. The Tributes were not off to a great start. Of course, no one had expected Johanna's tributes to fare well after she failed to instruct them on their terrain. Paylor had taken pity on them in the end and provided reading materials for them prior to weapons training week. They needed to glean whatever information they could from these and obviously it wasn't enough. In her rush to reach a flat bottomed boat tied to a tree near her marker, Tribute 8 had stepped into quicksand. There had been no warning. It just looked like sand with water streaming over the top of it. Her death had been slow and terrifying as she struggled to free herself from its deathly grip. She called out for help, but there was no one to hear her. The more Tribute 8 struggled, the quicker the sand engulfed her until, finally, her head disappeared beneath the surface. The swamp had claimed its first victim. The second tribute, Tribute 14, had been unfortunate enough to have encountered a snake as he waded into the waters to reach his boat. The last thing he saw was the contrast of its white mouth against the muddy waters of the swamp before an attempt to tackle the snake sealed his fate. He managed to make it as far as the boat, where he struggled to get on board, and then finally lay dying as the poison penetrated his system. It was a slower death than Tribute 8 had suffered and the people in the Districts watched both with fascination. Capitol children were dying the same way their own children had. Unceremoniously and in vain.

Annie's tributes had been prepared well, or as well as they could have been. She had taught them the basics of swimming and diving, instructed them on how to catch fish and warned them about what creatures to avoid. It hadn't been enough for one tribute. Each of them had been delivered to a separate island, created especially for the Games, and each had to find the escape route to the second arena. The difficulty for these tributes was that their escape route was underwater and most of them had not spent a significant amount of time in the water. They had spent time on the edges maybe… at the beach, on boats… but never in a serious effort to survive its dangers. The tribute who did not survive, Tribute 15, had located her backpack, but had not understood how to effectively use the device she had been given for underwater survival. In her desperate attempt to find the escape route, she hadn't realized there just wasn't sufficient air for a lengthy underwater exploration and a safe return to the surface. The audience had watched her body spasm before it slowly sank to the bottom of the sea and her struggle with this life was ended.

Haymitch's first tribute had lost his footing. It was as simple as that. Tribute 2 had climbed a tree to grab a coconut and slipped on his way back down. It wasn't even a tall tree, just tall enough that, when combined with an awkward fall, it brought the tribute to his untimely end. Haymitch hadn't wanted to watch the suffering of his tributes, but he was invested now, as he had been once before, and needed to see what the outcome would be. It was voyeuristic and addictive, the biggest problem being he couldn't generate any sponsorship to help these tributes. They were completely on their own and that, in itself, was reason enough to remain with them, even if only in spirit.

Enobaria hadn't calculated for the breakdown of one of her tributes. Tribute 24 did not even make an attempt to survive. Remaining on his marker as the countdown ended, he simply viewed the barren terrain before him and sat down, leaving his backpack in place. After baking in the hot desert sun for several hours, he became dehydrated and finally disoriented. Shouting to the cameras, to his family, to anyone who would listen, he begged them to come and rescue him, telling people he didn't want to die and finally whimpered in the end that he just wanted to go home. It was a pitiful death, made all the worse when desert foxes surrounded him in a large pack, before finally attacking and putting an end to his suffering. It was disturbing viewing and District people found no pleasure in watching his demise. Even if their own children had suffered, they took no pleasure in watching the suffering of others. They knew it only too well.

Hypothermia brought about the inevitable demise of Beetee's first tribute. Unable to move quickly enough, or with enough sense of purpose, Tribute 22 had faltered when attempting to find shelter and was eventually unable to maintain her body temperature. She sat shivering in the cold and made a vain attempt at keeping the blood flowing to her extremities by flexing her fingers and wriggling her toes, but it wasn't enough. In the end, her death was as silent as the snow lying all around her.

The Games were proving to be as deadly without weapons as they were with them, and Mother Nature seemed to be exacting her own price for Snow's arrogance. No one had come forward on behalf of the Tributes and the Mentors were becoming angry. How could these people allow their own children to die and not even raise a hand to help them? What sort of parents were they? What sort of people? The kind, obviously, who had lived all their life with privilege and never expected any hardship to enter their world. Hardship was for other people, people in the Districts. The Capitol crowd thought only of themselves and what was in their best interests. Even their own children were not to be considered when it came to preserving what they once had. This was another indication that the plan to force Snow out of hiding may yet backfire. People in the Districts would never behave this way, with so little regard for human life. They were constantly struggling to survive and life was precious to them in a way that it was not to the people in the Capitol. Soon the question would need to be asked...how was it all going to end? And who was going to end it?

The Tributes in the various arenas are suddenly alerted by a vision in the sky. Capitol music plays loudly and they are invited to view the fallen Tributes. Six in total. This time they show their first names, along with their faces, and Ebony crawls out of the crevasse where she is hidden to watch the nightly tally with the rest of Panem. Tribute 2, Zander; Tribute 15, Beatrix; Tribute 14, Claudius; Tribute 8, Victoria; Tribute 22, Electra; Tribute 24, Lucius. One of the dead is her fellow tribute, Electra, and Ebony is glad that there is one less person she has to concern herself with going into the battle to exit the Arena. It is every man for himself and she can't afford to think about the suffering of the other tributes. Their deaths just give her a better chance of surviving and she is now focused on the morning when she will begin to make her way up the mountain in search of the elusive exit to the second arena.

Lorcan is resting at the base of a tree when the vision of the fallen tributes appears in the sky. After taking in those that have been lost, and realizing none of them are from his training group, Lorcan ponders the heavens, and the odds that are still in their favour. Since grabbing his backpack, he had ventured stealthily through the woods looking for any sign of water, wildlife or the possibility of an exit. He had been fortunate enough to find a small running stream, but had to drink from it with his hands as there had been no container amongst his supplies. A length of string had enabled him to set a trap with some branches that had snared him a small ground bird searching for berries. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep the hunger pangs away. He knew not to keep a fire burning after dark so, after putting it out, he wrapped himself in the blanket contained in the backpack. His supplies had also included a torch, but he was reluctant to use as it would give his hiding place away. Lorcan has decided to use it only in emergencies. He has no idea where the other Tributes are, but thought he heard the Mockingjay tune earlier, the one Katniss had created and which had become a symbol of the Revolution. Maybe it was Verity testing her skills. Maybe there were alliances already forming. Lorcan wasn't sure, but the tune had reminded him of his Mentors. Thinking about Peeta's last words of advice, Lorcan drifts off to sleep feeling strangely calm and peaceful.


	76. Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Insight

Katniss and Peeta are preparing for their return to District 12. Katniss' mother will return to District 4 and keep in touch, while Haymitch will travel with the family and Peacekeepers back to their home in the Victor's Village. None of them feels much like a Victor right now and Peeta is silent as he packs the bags and delivers their luggage to the men standing at the door. He doesn't feel like talking and neither does Katniss. She knows there is nothing left to say right now as they leave this place of heartache behind and set their minds to the next stage of their journey and what will be the uncertain outcome of the Games. It will be a long drive and Peeta sits Prim on his knee while Katniss takes Pik in her arms, holding him close and kissing him as he drifts off to sleep. Katniss and Peeta look at each other as the vehicles move off and Katniss takes Peeta's hand in hers. It is a reminder to them both that they are in this together and neither of them is alone in their fear or their pain.

Lorcan has woken to a bright morning in the woods. It will be harder to stay hidden during daylight so he gathers his supplies and shoves them quickly into his backpack as her prepares to move on. He hadn't intended to sleep so long and now feels he has left himself at a disadvantage. Lorcan decides to follow the stream, but stays close to the tree line in case of discovery. All the Tributes will need water to survive so Lorcan guesses they will have the same idea, which means he has to be vigilant. After walking for a while he sees a rocky outcrop at the stream's edge which might provide some shelter and a chance to rest after he forages for food. He has to cross the stream to get to it and as he begins to make his way across, he sees something floating in the water. At that very moment a cannon booms and Lorcan realizes that one of his fellow tributes is dead. Drifting towards him is a backpack and Lorcan grabs it as he hurries across to the other side. It contains a water bottle, which is full, some nuts and matches, too. There is a groundsheet and some berries wrapped in a piece of paper. There is also a pen. The pen seemed like a strange inclusion, but when Lorcan inspects the berries, he can see that the paper has been written on. As he looks more closely he sees the words "HELP ME" written badly in capital letters. Who needs his help? He can't be sure. Maybe it is just a trick and a way of drawing him out of his hiding place. Lorcan remains hidden behind the rocks as he ponders what he should do about the mysterious letter writer.

Ebony had found a pair of crampons in her backpack. These would fit over her boots for the climb and help to give her traction. They had twelve steel teeth and a thick steel base with a Velcro strap to hold them in place. She would need them for her climb this morning. There had been a helmet in her backpack to protect her from any falling ice or snow and a foldable ice pick to enable her to grip the surface of the mountain in more difficult places. Ebony felt her chances of survival were good with the loot the Gamemakers had provided and decided she could work with these. She still needed to eat and had managed to melt some snow in the sun this morning which gave her an opportunity to rehydrate. There had to be some plants which could provide sustenance as well and Ebony decides she will have to dig for these. She needs to do this before she begins her climb and starts foraging for wild garlic and garlic mustard that could often be found close to the surface under the snow. If she can find some, it will be better than nothing and there is no time to lose. The escape route is waiting.

Ramsay had used his climbing skills and Katniss' advice to climb a tree where he had stayed for the night. He, too, had heard the Mockingjays call and couldn't decide if Verity had been the one responsible for their song. Regardless, Ramsay was not answering the call, not if it meant exposing himself and running the risk of coming face to face with the enemy. As if a 13 year old girl could really be his enemy. She could paint herself out of the picture, lie hidden in the woods, but she couldn't confront his brute strength, the strength he had used to force Peeta to the ground in the Training Centre. This thought gives Ramsay the confidence to exit the tree, just in time to see Verity appear from the thicket surrounding it. She doesn't need a weapon to kill him, she just needs the element of surprise, along with a length of rope which she swiftly uses to tie Ramsay to the tree. All it takes then is the call of the wild to bring the beasts to the base of Ramsay's tree to finish him off. In her haste to leave, and not have to watch him die, Verity has not even considered taking the backpack lying beside him. Ramsay manages to pull it close with the hand he has freed from the tightly bound rope, but all he can do is beg for help before it is too late. In the end, the wolves take care of the rest by carrying his backpack as far as the stream where they decide it is of no interest to them as the leaders of the pack finish with Ramsay.

Ottilia has heard the cannon, too. She knows that one of her fellow tributes has finally met their fate and it causes her to remain in her hiding place for fear of being discovered, and also left for dead. Suffering from dehydration, she knows she needs to find water, and hopefully some food, but she has been too afraid to venture far. The Gamemakers had supplied her with a camouflage kit, balaclava and a whistle along with some dried herbs, spare socks and earplugs. Ottilia had decided she would hardly want to draw attention to herself, so the whistle is useless, but she keeps it anyway, just in case she needs some help. Ottilia knows who would come to help her if she called. Lorcan was only 15, but he was caring and had looked out for her before. She had heard wolves howling last night and has no way to protect herself from them. Maybe they should have been allowed weapons in the arena after all.

At the end of a long day, Katniss, Peeta, the children and Haymitch finally arrive back in District 12. Haymitch had told them about his one, unfortunate tribute and assured Katniss and Peeta that their tributes had all survived the first day in the Arena. This was heartening news for both of them and Katniss had not told Peeta that she had watched the tally as it was aired last night. It wasn't the first time they'd had to confront the reality of death in the arena, but it was the first time they would have to confront the death of their own tributes. It was a sobering experience and, for the first time, Katniss could understand why Haymitch had decided never to be sober again...after being the only Mentor for District 12 for 25 years or more. She could only imagine the toll it must have taken on him and now, that she finally has to walk a mile in his shoes, Katniss hopes none of them would have to walk much further before the Games will be brought to an end.


	77. Chapter 77

Chapter 77: Discovery

Lorcan decides he needs to see if he can find the tribute that needs his help. It is an irresistible urge that, for some reason, he cannot counter, so he takes what is of use to him from the second backpack and prepares to set out again. The berries which had been wrapped in the note begging for help were Nightlock berries. Lorcan wonders if this is the reason his fellow tribute needed help. Had they accidentally ingested some of the poison berries? He hopes no one would take them deliberately as the only promise they held was the promise of certain death. Maybe they had planned to use them on someone else? He has no idea, but Lorcan puts them back in the paper and places them in his pocket.

He crosses back over the stream and begins his walk along the tree line again. The search for food and an opportunity to rest would have to wait. The afternoon sun is casting shadows on the forest floor and the earth is damp and pungent where the light does not reach it. Every now and again Lorcan takes the time to stop and listen, as Katniss had taught him to do, making sure he is alert to any dangers lurking in the woods. He can hear soft bird calls, and the occasional scampering of woodland creatures in the trees, but nothing that alarms him too much. Lorcan knows he can't call out to the troubled tribute without alerting others to his whereabouts, so he continues to move stealthily through the woods in search of his companion.

It is the smell drifting towards him on the gentle woodland breeze that convinces Lorcan he is headed in the right direction. The direction of death. He has never smelt death before, but he knows, instinctively, this is what it smells like. Assaulting his nostrils is a gruesome and sickening smell which makes his stomach churn. Lorcan doesn't know if he wants to go any further. He understands that what he is about to see, he can never "unsee", and that disturbs him. He isn't sure if he is ready to confront death in all its brutal reality. And brutal it is. Lorcan only has to walk a few more feet to find what he has been looking for. Ramsay's remains. And it is only his remains…the wolves had made quite a feast of him. Lorcan can see the rope that had bound Ramsay to the tree and wondered how either Verity or Ottilia could have accomplished this task. He remembers Verity taking in the knot tying lessons that Katniss had provided and becoming quite skilled, quite quickly. Lorcan begins to think Verity might be behind Ramsay's demise. Ottilia is much too delicate to carry out this sort of attack.

Lorcan realizes there is nothing he can do for Ramsay now. The call for help was answered too late and the outcome has already been decided. Flies are covering Ramsay's body and Lorcan feels he needs to let nature take its course. The only thing to do now is rescue the rope Verity has tied around the tree and see if he can make use of it himself. First, he will have to wash it off in the stream to remove the ugly stain and smell of death because, if he doesn't, the wolves will be after him next. When he finishes untying Ramsay and gathering the rope, Lorcan moves quickly away from the body, and begins to vomit. His belly aches with the retching, and also the grief brought on by his discovery. A boy is dead and though he was not a friend, he was still a person, a person who was too young to die. Lorcan's final salute to Ramsay is also an act of compassion as he covers what remains of Ramsay's body with branches and provides what little dignity he can to his fellow warrior. Lorcan doesn't think about the people in the Districts watching him, glued to their screens, waiting to see what a Capitol child will do when confronted with the evil of the Games. His actions are unexpected. The District people realize these are not the actions of a self- centred Capitol creature. They are the actions of someone willing to put others before himself, someone who cared deeply about the life and death of another. Lorcan is not what they were expecting at all.

Ebony has managed to find some of the fodder she had been looking for and is beginning her ascent up the mountain. It is not very high, but still requires skill and she is more used to skiing down mountains than climbing up them. Her pack is lighter, now that she has begun using the gear the Gamemakers had provided, so the first part of the climb is relatively easy. Ebony realizes that she will not make it to the top before it gets dark. She will need to stop and rest along the way. Looking for a shelf or an entry on the face of the mountain, Ebony searches for spot where she can shelter for another night. She is already losing strength, not having eaten or drunk anything since the start of the day.

About 50ft above her and to the right, Ebony can see a break in the face of the mountain. She won't know until she gets there if this is what she is looking for, but she directs her feet towards it and uses her ice pick to maintain her grip as the ascent steepens. Suddenly, there is a boom and Ebony recognizes the sound of the Capitol's cannon. Another tribute is dead. The mountain has claimed its second victim. Ebony wonders what has caused the death of this second tribute and how much they actually took in of what Beetee had been trying to teach them. Beetee was a tech guy, a high tech guy, and there wasn't much technology here, but he knew about survival and had done his best to instruct them, as well as warn them about the gruesome concoctions of the Gamemakers. These were many and varied and, if nature didn't get you, the Gamemakers concoctions would.

Ebony tries not to let the cannon disturb her concentration too much as she edges her way to what now looks like an entry on the mountain face. Breathing heavily, she finally manages to pull herself up and in to a small space with just enough room for her to sit or lie comfortably for the night. She needs to start a small fire and had gathered some pieces of wood earlier in the day, before starting her ascent, that she can use now to help keep herself warm. She will melt some more snow to drink, but food is still a problem. Ebony needs food for energy and she has none. She doesn't have matches either, but manages to use a flint and stone to get the fire started. She doubts there are any other tributes close by to trouble her as she sleeps, so she builds the fire up as much as possible before closing her eyes. Behind them she sees dead tributes floating through the air, calling out for help and reaching out to her. She wonders what her Grandfather is doing about the Games he helped to promote...the Games that might see his granddaughter get killed. The Capitol music wakes her up at midnight. Another 4 tributes are dead and they are about to find out who.

The evening of the Mentors arrival back in District 12 had caused quite a stir. People were aware that Katniss had produced her own Propo and the military vehicles rolling into the town were an indication of how the Government of Panem felt about that. The fact that there were Peacekeepers stationed outside Peeta and Katniss' door, and at the entry to the Victors Village, was a sign that the government were taking the threat of this rogue citizen seriously and, going by Katniss' previous reputation to galvanize the people, they weren't going to take any chances on her making more trouble for them.

The house was as they had left it and the children were soon in bed. This gave Katniss and Peeta some time to decide how they were going to handle the current situation. Apart from the home detention, they needed to decide if they would watch the Games and see how their tributes were faring.

"Peeta, I think Haymitch is right. He feels he needs to watch the Games as a way of showing support for his tributes. We are invested in what happens to them now, too, because we trained them, and we are the ones who agreed that the Games should go ahead" says Katniss.

"I'm not invested in watching any more people…children…die, Katniss. I am invested in finding Snow and bringing him to justice. I can't help my tributes now and I don't want to watch them die, either" Peeta replies. He is still bearing the wounds he inflicted on himself after sending them off to the Games, and the biggest wound of all is the one to his soul.

"It's not about entertainment, Peeta. It was entertainment for the Capitol crowd, but it's not for us. It's about somehow remaining with them to the very end and acknowledging what they are going through. Plenty of people, people in the Districts, would have watched us, not because they had to, but because they wanted to see us survive and hoped that we would. I want these tributes to survive and I also want to be with them, to know, if they don't" Katniss tells him.

"What are their chances, Katniss? If they don't kill eachother, Plutarch will make sure they die. Only one of them can escape the first Arena. How can we even choose who we would want to survive?"

Peeta is feeling the full weight of his connection to the tributes and can't contemplate any of them dying.

"Who lives and who dies is out of our hands now, Peeta. It is in Snow's hands and it is in their parents hands. It is also in the tributes hands. Of course we don't want any of them to die, but watching their progress in the arena won't be what kills them. I want to hold out some hope for them and, if I know what is happening to them, then maybe I can still hold out hope for their survival" Katniss says.

Peeta knows there is a part of him that wants to know how his tributes are doing also.

"Katniss, you can watch the nightly tally, and then you can tell me who is still alive. I don't want to watch the killings or experience the suffering of the tributes. I can't do anything about it and it hurts me that I have been a part of creating their ordeal" Peeta says.

"It hurt us both, Peeta" Katniss reminds him.

Peeta doesn't want to watch the tally and retires to bed. Katniss tunes into the broadcast of the nightly tally and four tributes names and faces flash across the screen. Roman, Tribute 11, lost his footing on the mountain and fell to his death; Sophie, Tribute 4, died of dehydration after failing to find water in the desert; Maximus, Tribute 10, died when a giant, genetically mutated mosquito, sucked all the blood from his veins in the jungle and Ramsay, Tribute 3, died after being attacked by wolves in the woods.

Katniss is going to have to tell Peeta…one of their tributes is dead. She will wait until the morning. Peeta is in no mood to hear the news tonight.


	78. Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Discussion

Katniss wakes up in the morning before Peeta. Pik is awake and needs to be fed, so she takes him downstairs and as she tends to him, ponders how she is going to tell Peeta the bad news. Haymitch has lost another tribute, too, so Katniss knows it is not going to be a good day. They have to confront the reality again of what the Games mean, in terms of losses, and Katniss has to prepare herself for how two people she loves are going to react to the news. She would prefer to have Haymitch with them at the moment but, with the Peacekeeping force at their door, it was better for Haymitch to be in his own house and a conduit to the outside world for her and Peeta. Haymitch could move and make contact with people they couldn't.

It doesn't take long for Peeta to wake up after her and he notices that Katniss is not in the bed beside him. Wondering when she got up, he decides to look in on Prim first before going downstairs to find Katniss. Prim is still sound asleep, so Peeta makes his way to the kitchen and sees Katniss sitting at the table with Pik. She is beginning to show him signs, teaching him the words for different things so that they can communicate. Pik's gaze is fixed on Katniss and she is mouthing the word while making the sign for "play". She is asking Pik if he wants to play. Katniss sees Peeta at the door and immediately stands up. She asks him if he wants some coffee and goes about preparing some for him while Peeta sits down and smiles at Pik, handing him a toy and kissing him on the forehead. Katniss decides to get straight to the point.

"I watched the tally last night" she says with some trepidation.

"And?" Peeta asks without hesitation.

"Ramsay is dead" she tells him.

Peeta is shocked that their strongest tribute has fallen victim to the Games already. He says as much to Katniss and she agrees.

"I think he was too confident in his own abilities, his strength, and the Games is about a lot more than that" Katniss says.

"Do you know what happened to him?" asks Peeta, accepting that the odds were not going to be in favour of all their tributes for long.

"Someone managed to tie a rope around him and leave him for dead. The wolves got him in the end" Katniss explains.

"Do you know who?" Peets says.

"It was Verity" Katniss tells him. "She surprised him when he jumped out of the tree he had slept in and she had already set the trap. All Verity needed to do was catch him off guard and then…well, she called the wolves after he was tied to the tree"

Peeta remembers Verity's ability to mimic animal and bird sounds. Katniss remembers the skills she developed at the knot tying station. It isn't hard to imagine how it was possible now.

"He had berries" Katniss tells Peeta. "Nightlock berries. He could have used them, but he wrote a note instead that the wolves carried off in his backpack"

"What kind of note?" Peeta asks.

"A note asking for help" Katniss says.

"What happened to it?" Peeta wants to know.

"Lorcan found it. He went looking for whoever wrote it and he was the one who found Ramsay" Katniss tells Peeta.

Peeta could imagine Lorcan doing this. He doesn't ask any more questions. Katniss goes on.

"He untied the rope and then covered Ramsay's body with branches…"

It was clear to Peeta now that Lorcan was the one who was meant to survive. Lorcan who cared about others and took risks that no one else would take. Lorcan reminded him of Katniss.

Peeta gets up and silently takes Katniss in his arms. He remembers her heartache after Rue's death in the Arena and how much it had affected her. Rue had reminded Katniss so much of Prim. She was right. He was not the only one being hurt by what was happening to their tributes in the arena. Tears begin to form in Katniss' eyes and she whispers to Peeta that she is sorry. Sorry about Ramsay, sorry about their loss, and sorry that more people are going to die because of her.

Peeta doesn't want Katniss blame herself and tells her she has nothing to be sorry for…that they all made this decision to reinstitute the Games and she is still the bravest person he has ever known. She feels the losses, too, and Peeta needs to remember that.

The tributes have spent another uncomfortable night and Lorcan had returned to his place on the banks of the stream. He hadn't felt like eating after finding Ramsay's body and just refilled the water bottle in order to keep himself hydrated. After that he had lain out under the stars and listened to the call of the wild in the woods. The wolves were still out there, and so were the other two tributes. Lorcan had to discover the elusive exit to the second arena, but wasn't sure which way to go. As the sun rises, Lorcan decides to keep travelling upstream and notices some small fish in the water. Perhaps he can spear a couple of these for his breakfast. He goes about fashioning a spear out of a fallen branch while Verity looks on.

Ebony wakes to another cold and bright morning, but in the distance the sky is beginning to darken. That means snow. She needs to try to make it to the top of the mountain as soon as possible. It's her only chance of escaping the impending snow storm and finding food before she becomes too weak . Ebony gears up and steps gingerly to the edge of the entry. She looks down and realizes she is about half way to the top of the mountain, but the next part of the climb will be the steepest. Stepping out onto the ledge she begins to manoeuvre herself into a position to begin the climb.

Ottilia ventures out of her hiding place in a desperate bid to search for food and water. Using her camouflage gear as a means of disguise, she creeps silently through the undergrowth looking for any signs of a river or stream. She listens for the sound of running water and eventually hears a bubbling sound in the distance where water is gushing over small rocks in the stream. Ottilia doesn't wait to see who else might be close by as she rushes towards her salvation.


	79. Chapter 79

Chapter 79: Heroics

Peeta decides he needs to go to the bakery. He has to get out of the house and out of his head for a while so he tells Katniss he wants to see how business is doing and says he won't be long. She understands. Peeta informs the Peacekeeper at the door who arranges for someone to accompany him to the store. At no time are Peeta or Katniss to be left alone and to their own devices. These are the orders the Peacekeepers have been given.

Katniss wonders how she will get word to Gale. She wants to know what is happening in the Capitol and Gale is the only person she can trust there. Haymitch would be the perfect foil for making contact with Gale, but she has to get to him without the Peacekeepers knowing what she is doing. Katniss tries to come up with a plan while she waits for Peeta to return from the bakery.

Lorcan has almost finished fashioning his spear when he senses movement to his left. From the corner of his eye he can see a figure rushing from the trees and instantly gets to his feet, spear in hand. Verity sees her at the same time. Ottilia races towards the stream oblivious to both of them. The sky had darkened considerably just before Ottilia made her rush for water and now heavy rain is beginning to fall. Hailstones, too. It is blinding and the hailstones beat down painfully on the tributes as the wind begins to roar. Lorcan knows what this is. The Gamemaker has unleashed a tornado in their arena and someone is going to die.

She still hasn't seen him, but Lorcan rushes towards Ottilia and shouts her name. Ottilia looks in Lorcan's direction and sees him running towards her with a spear in his hand. She stands frozen as the trees around her begin to bend and break in the force of the wind. Her survival instincts kick in, Ottilia takes off in the opposite direction and foolishly into the eye of the storm. Fear has driven her into the arms of the oncoming tornado and Lorcan has to save her. Faster and stronger than Ottilia, Lorcan races after her and grabs Ottilia from behind before beginning to lash her to the nearest tree. He had kept the rope over his shoulder and now it was going to save someone's life instead of take it.

As Lorcan shouts at Ottilia, to make himself heard over the roar of the wind, his words are ones of reassurance, telling her he is trying to save her and not to be afraid. Finally, he binds himself to the tree as well, just as Verity decides to break from the undergrowth and put an end to the self-imposed captives. She hasn't factored in the speed or ferocity of the tornado as it effortlessly takes her in its grip and drags her into its swirling vortex, preparing to dump her where ever the Gamemaker sees fit.

The tornado ends as quickly as it had begun and the silence after its demise is deafening. Ottilia is in shock, crying and shaking all over. She is having trouble comprehending what has just happened. Lorcan is dazed and attempting to take in the devastation all around them. The tornado has woven a path of destruction through the forest, evidenced by the broken trees and branches strewn all across the ground. It has become a barren landscape, at least the parts that were touched, and Lorcan can't believe they had survived.

He slowly begins to untie the rope and is thankful now for its discovery. He can't help but think of Ramsay and how this rope had been the death of him. Now, it had saved two lives, his and Ottilia's. What about Verity? Lorcan wonders where she might have ended up, but doubts she could have survived. Right now, he and Ottilia need to regain their composure, gather up their supplies and find a place to rest and rehydrate. Lorcan knows that Ottilia must have been desperate for water, judging by the way she had rushed out of the trees and towards the stream. She hadn't even seen him. She hadn't been looking.

Ebony is making the climb as quickly as she possibly can and is finding it treacherous. The mountain face is slippery and keeping her grip requires much greater effort. She has no rope to stabilize or secure her so, if she loses her grip, the fall from this height will most likely kill her. Ebony doesn't want to die. She is only thirteen years old. She wants to live. Thoughts of living, not dying, push her on as the ominous darkness and impending snowfall cause an adrenalin rush. She has to get to the top before the snow begins to fall.

Driven to survive, Ebony maintains her focus and gets her pick into the final shelf at the top of the mountain just as the wind whips up and the snow begins to fall. She is exhausted, but can't stop here. Ebony isn't the only one trying to make it to the top. Her eyes take in the surroundings and fall on a rocky outcrop where she thinks she might be able to find some shelter. She is going to need it. This storm will be ferocious and there is no time to lose. Weakened from lack of food and the energy required to make the climb, Ebony's movements are slow and she falls several times trying to reach her goal. Each time it is harder to get back up, but Ebony is determined. She is not going to die on the top of this mountain.

Peeta calls over to the Peacekeeper watching him and offers to give him some of the freshly baked bread and buns to share with his fellow officers. The Peacekeeper is tempted, of course. He had been forced to endure the mouth watering smells in the bakery for about an hour now, so Peeta encourages him to help himself and lays a tray in front of him. He tells the Peacekeeper to take whatever he wants. While the man is distracted making his choices, Peeta secretes a note into another loaf which he tucks under his arm to bring home for Katniss and the children. Well, actually, there are two loaves. One is for Haymitch and this is the one containing the note.

As the Peacekeeper leads Peeta back to the house in the Victor's Village they begin a conversation about the bread. The Peacekeeper is already eating some of his selection and complements Peeta on his skills. Peeta thanks him and tells the Peacekeeper that the bakery had been in his family for a couple of generations, so if they weren't any good they wouldn't still be in business. The Peacekeeper laughs at this and offers to bring Peeta whenever he needs to go to the bakery, as long as Peeta promises to let him sample more of his excellent goods. Peeta agrees. As they reach the Village, Peeta asks the Peacekeeper if he can leave a loaf with Haymitch. He says that's what he would normally do each day on his way home and Haymitch is a man with a drinking problem that needs someone to look in on him. Haymitch's reputation had spread far and wide over the years, so the Peacekeeper agrees.

But he won't agree to Peeta just wandering over to Haymitch to give him the bread, so he says he will accompany him while he delivers it. Peeta knocks loudly on the door and gets no answer. He knocks again and Haymitch calls out "What do you want?"

"Haymitch, it's Peeta!" Peeta shouts back.

They hear the clunking of glasses and bottles as Haymitch hurries to open the door.

"What's going on?" demands Haymitch.

"I came to bring you your bread" Peeta says. "Katniss asked me to make sure you got it".

Haymitch is not used to having bread delivered to his door, although he does think this would be good idea to bring up with Peeta in the future! The delivery lets Haymitch know that is no ordinary loaf of bread and he won't know what it contains until he gets the Peacekeeper away from his door.

"Well, tell Katniss thank you for me and I'm glad you haven't forgotten how much I always enjoyed your baking, Peeta" says Haymitch.

"OK, Haymitch. I will try to get a loaf down to you every day if I can. This helpful Peacekeeper seems to enjoy our products, too" Peeta remarks.

"It's delicious" comments the Peacekeeper just before they head back to the house.

Prim is up and rushes to meet Peeta as he comes through the door.

"Daddy, did you bring a treat?" she asks, jumping up and down waiting to see what Peeta has brought her.

"Of course" Peeta tells her as he brings two cupcakes out from his pocket. "One for you and one for Pik, OK?"

"OK!" says Prim as she dances off to find her brother.

Katniss walks out of the kitchen to see Peeta coming towards her with a loaf of bread under his arm. It smells good. He holds it out to her and, as she takes the bread, she takes Peeta in her arms as well. Katniss holds him tightly. She wants to kiss him, but won't do that in front of the Peacekeepers. She will save her kisses for later, when the two of them are alone and the children are asleep. Peeta whispers in her ear, "I gave Haymitch a loaf, too". Katniss knows this means Peeta has orchestrated a way for a message to be sent to the Capitol, to Gale, and she hugs him even tighter. Peeta always knew what to do.


	80. Chapter 80

Chapter 80: Recovery

Lorcan has decided to leave Ottilia to rest at the base of the tree that had been their saviour while he goes to fill the water bottle by the stream. She won't be able to travel far if she isn't hydrated first. Lorcan realizes he needs to try to filter the water that he is going to collect after he sees the vast amount of debris left floating on top of the stream in the aftermath of the tornado. He goes back to ask Ottilia if she has anything they can use and she hands him the spare pair of socks from her backpack. Lorcan decides these are ideal for use as a filter and he goes back to the stream, lowering a sock into the water and holding it by the top over the water bottle, allowing filtered water to run into the bottle. As soon as it is filled, Lorcan brings the bottle back to Ottilia and she gulps it down thirstily. She doesn't care that water is escaping from the sides of her mouth, splashing down her top and leaving her looking more dishevelled than she did before. Ottilia's vanity had been sucked out of her as surely as Verity had been sucked into the tornado. She no longer cares about how she looks as much as how she is going to survive. She needs to thank Lorcan for saving her life and waits for him to come back, after refilling the water bottle a second time, to tell him how much she appreciates what he did.

"Lorcan…"

"It's OK Ottilia. You don't need to say anything. I did what I had to do. I couldn't leave you to die and I would have tried to save Verity, too, if I had known she was so close".

Neither of them had been aware of Verity's presence until it was too late. Both of them wonder what Verity's intentions were when she came rushing towards them out of the trees, and now they would never know. If a cannon had gone off, they wouldn't have heard it over the roar of the tornado. As it is, all they can do now is focus on finding food, and the elusive exit.

"We need to go, Ottilia" says Lorcan. "The exit to the second arena has to be around here somewhere and the sooner we find it the better. The Gamemakers won't rest, and we can't afford to rest either".

Ottilia agrees and gets to her feet with Lorcan's help as they head downstream to search for food and the exit.

Ebony had finally made it to the rocky outcrop and was beginning to create an igloo from the snow that has already fallen. She wouldn't be able to search for food until the snowstorm was over and can only hope she survives another night, this time on the top of the mountain. As Ebony packs the snow in around her, she knows she needs to create an opening, both for air and as a means of escape after the storm is over. There is a good chance that the snowfall will bury her alive if she doesn't prepare well, so Ebony tries to work out which way the wind is blowing and, by sheer luck, finds that it is blowing in from behind the rocks. She creates an opening that faces the direction from which she has just come and then smooths the ceiling and walls inside as best she can. This is so that any heat created by her body and causing the snow to melt will ensure the water slides down the sides of the igloo and not drip on her during the night.

It has taken Ebony a couple of hours to create her ice cocoon and, when it is finally finished, all she wants to do is lie down and sleep. She doesn't have the energy to do anything else. It will be a long night, Ebony thinks, as she hears the storm begin to rage around her and the wind drives the snow into mini whirlwinds that dance around her temporary home.

After Peeta and the Peacekeeper had taken the short walk back to Peeta and Katniss' home, Haymitch finally had the chance to search for whatever Peeta had managed to hide in the loaf of bread. He cut into the loaf a piece at a time, trying to make sure he didn't miss anything, and decided he might as well enjoy the search, buttering each slice and coating it with jam, before shoving it hungrily into his mouth. He had forgotten how good fresh bread from the bakery tasted and, was enjoying it so much, he almost swallowed Peeta's note whole! It has been folded neatly, several times, and inserted expertly, probably at the point of a knife. To the naked eye there was no obvious sign that this loaf of bread was different to any other. The Peacekeeper hadn't bothered inspect it, but Haymitch guessed he was too busy filling his own pockets with treats to even notice. Peeta was a genius.

The note was for Gale. It said: "Need an update on what's happening - _any_ news on Paylor's plans, the prisoners or Snow. Haymitch will be the courier. We are fine. Take care. Peeta".

Well, Haymitch thinks, it's the least he can do since he isn't under house arrest and has the freedom of movement to help Peeta and Katniss, maybe the tributes, too. He will need to be discreet, and calls over to see Peeta and Katniss later in the day to tell them he has to visit Effie in the Capitol. She isn't well. Peeta and Katniss know this is a lie, but feign concern for Effie and ask Haymitch to give her their best wishes when he gets there. The Peacekeepers aren't concerned. Haymitch is a drunken fool and not a threat. They're not sure how seeing _him_ is going to make Effie feel better, but that's Effie's problem. Haymitch gets on the last train to the Capitol that night and should be there in the morning.

Katniss and Peeta settle the children for the night and sit down to watch the nightly tally together. They aren't looking forward to it, but not watching won't make any difference to the outcome. If more of their tributes are dead, there is nothing they can do about it right now. Peeta hopes Gale will be able to get word back to them soon and give them an update on what is happening in the Capitol.

The music blares from the screen as Tributes names and faces begin to appear on the screen.

Tribute 23, Axel, killed by a shark in the waters while trying to reach the underground cave; Tribute 7, Midas, eaten by a giant crocodile in the murky waters of the swamp while trying to tether his boat, Tribute 12, Ophelia, eaten by a massive cluster of camel spiders who attacked her while she slept; Tribute 9, Verity, killed by a tornado unleashed by the Gamemakers in the forest.

Katniss and Peeta look at each other. They have lost another tribute. Verity, who killed Ramsay, is dead. Lorcan is still alive. So is Ottilia. That means there is still hope for their tributes, but not for long. Peeta and Katniss feel distressed and relieved at the same time. Distressed at the news of Verity's death, relieved that all is not lost.

Peeta takes Katniss in his arms. He wants to hold her. The deaths in the arena make him think again of their own experiences and how they both could have died. It was a miracle they had both survived. There is only one thing Peeta wants right now. Katniss. He wants her now in the same way as he had wanted her then, and he begins to kiss her. There are tears on Katniss' cheeks and they mingle with the sweet taste of her lips. Peeta pulls Katniss closer before stopping for a moment to wipe her tears. She places her hand over his and leans in for him to kiss her again. Katniss wants Peeta. Nobody else. Just him. It was the same before they entered the arena for the Quarter Quell. She trusts him completely. Life, so closely connected to death, visits Peeta and Katniss again tonight.

.


	81. Chapter 81

Chapter 81: Allies

The next day dawns bright and clear...for Katniss and Peeta, for the Tributes, and for Haymitch.

As he exits the train in the Capitol, Haymitch decides the best way for him to make contact with Gale is to use Effie as his cover. He hadn't seen her in a while and wonders how she has been. Haymitch knows where to find her, she has always been fairly predictable, and he hails a cab to take him to her downtown apartment. It's early, so Haymitch's best guess is that Effie will still be either in bed or just getting up and ready for the day. He knocks on her door.

"Who is it?" Effie calls through the door.

"Haymitch" he calls back.

"Oh, my goodness!" he can hear Effie mutter, panic stricken on the other side. "Just a minute" she says in a sing song voice as she rushes to find her gown and check herself in the mirror before opening the door. She isn't expecting company and can't imagine why Haymitch would be calling on her, especially so early in the morning. As far as she knew, he was back in District 12 and Effie decides this would be a good opportunity to get an update on Katniss and Peeta's situation. Everyone knew they were under House Arrest…word gets around quickly in the Capitol.

Haymitch takes in the vision of Effie as she opens the door and decides she hasn't changed much since the last time he saw her. She hasn't had a chance to dress, of course, or apply any extravagant make up. He quite likes the look of Effie when she doesn't try so hard to impress. Haymitch decides to take her in his arms in a big hug, just because he likes to shock Effie and wants to see her reaction. Effie repeats herself saying "Oh! My goodness!" and laughs like a schoolgirl.

Haymitch slowly puts Effie down as she offers him some coffee. It's already prepared and smells delicious. He takes it all in…the smell of the coffee, the unusual normality of Effie and the luxury of the furnishings in her apartment. Effie hadn't done so badly after all. Being "kidnapped" by the Rebels in District 13 had obviously not affected her status in the long run. Haymitch thinks this is a good sign and sips some of Effie's coffee while she chatters away about the shock of the Games, the Tribute Parade, the interviews and Peeta and Katniss' house arrest. Haymitch can't get a word in and lets Effie run herself out before finally giving her an update on the reason for his visit.

"Effie, it's great to see you" he begins with a smile. "There's a lot I can't say right now, but here's what I will say. We all want these Games brought to an end as soon as possible and we can only do that by getting a lead on the whereabouts of Coriolanus Snow. He's the reason the Games have been instituted again and that is why I am here".

Effie does her best not to look too disappointed, although she can't for the life of her think why she would be disappointed that Haymitch is not just her to see her. She knows she has a soft spot for him, but doesn't want that to get the better of her…Haymitch is unpredictable, thanks to his problem with alcohol, and she knows better than to get too close to him in the circumstances. He is obviously here for another reason and she wants to know what that reason is.

"Haymitch, I don't know what I can do to help. I feel so useless sometimes, with all this going on around me, but I am also very concerned for Katniss and Peeta. How are they coping?" she asks.

"They told me to give you their best, and they are fine. Of course, it's difficult for them being confined to the Village, but Peeta has found a way for me to get a message to Gale and I was hoping you could help" says Haymitch.

Effie hesitates for a moment. She has never been very good at defying the Capitol.

"Of course, I will do whatever I can, but I'm not a very good liar…"Effie says uncertainly and being her usual forthright self.

"I just need you to get word to Gale that I am here and I will do the rest. Do you have access to any trustworthy people in the Capitol that can get a message to him and ask him to meet me?" Haymitch asks.

"Well, I do have some connections at the Presidential Palace and might be able to reach him that way. Are you sure he is still in the Capitol?"

"Yes. He wasn't allowed to travel back to District 12, so I am assuming Paylor has him close by to keep an eye on him. That could be a problem…" says Haymitch.

"Peacekeepers need time off, too" says Effie, remembering Gale's comment to her on the way back to the Capitol from Katniss' and Peeta's wedding. "I will arrange a soiree that Gale can attend and that should create an opportunity for him to leave the Palace without raising too many eyebrows".

"That would be great, Effie" says Haymitch. "I knew I could count on you". He gives her a winning smile and takes her in his arms again. Pecking her on the cheek, he tells Effie he will meet her at the café on the corner around noon the following day. It's the best he can do and Haymitch hopes everything is OK back in District 12. For now, he will spend some time watching the progress of the Games on the big screen in the Avenue of Tributes. With surviving tributes still in the Games, he wants to get an update.

Lorcan and Ottilia had seen the tally in the sky the previous night. Another four were gone, including Verity. They knew there wasn't much chance she could have survived the tornado. Ottilia had become teary and Lorcan comforted her as best he could. He told Ottilia there was a good chance they would find the exit soon and, as "allies", they had a better chance of surviving together. His words seemed to calm her down and she eventually settled into a fitful sleep with Lorcan by her side. He had tried to sleep, but he felt responsible for Ottilia and, even though there were no other tributes to fear at the moment, he feared the Gamemakers and their twisted inventions more. It was a restless night and the morning came much too soon.

With the sun rising, Lorcan nudges Ottilia awake, telling her they needed to keep moving. He says they will find food along the way, and they occasionally stop to pick berries that are safe to eat while scouting for spots to set a snare or two. Eventually, Lorcan decides they need to stop for water as the heat is becoming intense. Even in the shade of the trees, it seems unnaturally hot. Lorcan tells Ottilia they should rest for a while and goes about setting his traps further into the woods. He can check them later. Spotting some small fish in the water, Lorcan manages to spear a couple while Ottilia helps to gather wood for a fire. There's no shortage of wood, after so many trees had been ripped apart during the tornado, and it doesn't take long for them to get the fire started with the matches Lorcan had found in Ramsay's bag. Soon Lorcan and Ottilia are feasting on fish, and nuts that they have roasted over the fire, in the best meal either of them have had in days. It lifts their spirits enormously.

The snowstorm on the top of the mountain had finally abated, running its course during the night and coating the whole mountain in a deep blanket of pure white perfection. Ebony wakens in the darkened chamber, created of ice, and flexes her fingers and her toes. The igloo had retained her body heat and kept Ebony warm during the night, but now she needed to escape from its confines. The ice was beginning to melt and, after catching as much as she could to drink and rehydrate herself, Ebony begins to make her way out of the entrance and into the cold, hard light of day. A good deal of snow has drifted across the entrance and Ebony clears it as quickly as she can with her hands before she scopes out the desolate landscape once again. There is no sign of clouds on the horizon and no sign of life either. She thinks there is one more tribute out there…she missed the tally last night… but she just doesn't know where. Ebony is about to find out.


	82. Chapter 82

Chapter 82: Close Encounters

Gale gets the invitation to Effie's soiree that afternoon. He is surprised and little confused at the invitation. He hadn't really had any contact with Effie since the trip back from District 12 after the wedding and isn't sure why she would want to see him. They have nothing in common, apart from Katniss and Peeta, and Effie must know that he isn't the 'party' kind. Gale is all business most of the time and that leaves little time for socializing, especially now. Paylor is keeping a watchful eye on him, ensuring his loyalty to the Capitol remains intact, and he hasn't given her any reason to doubt him so far. This way he can access information that might help Katniss and Peeta, and hopefully bring this nightmare to an end.

A thought suddenly strikes him…he has nothing in common with Effie _except_ Katniss and Peeta. Maybe this is an attempt to pass information to him from District 12 and Effie is the one who is going to help do that! She had been allied to them in District 13, reluctantly, but Gale knew she cared for her Victors and had a real soft spot for them after all they had been through. He wondered who might have engaged Effie in the battle and could only think of one person. Haymitch. He wasn't under House Arrest. Maybe he had been able to travel to the Capitol and deliver a message. Gale needed to find out and the only way to do that was by accepting Effie's invitation. He requests permission to attend and is given leave with the proviso he bring another Peacekeeper with him. Gale has no choice, but he picks his companion wisely and makes arrangements to visit Effie the following evening.

Ebony has begun to walk across the snow covered landscape after securing her backpack and putting her glasses on. The snow is deep and her progress is slow as she sinks one foot at a time into the Arena's terrain, looking for a possible exit. The top of the mountain is a narrow shelf and Ebony heads to her left to look over the edge. Just as she reaches her lookout point a face suddenly appears in front of her. It's a boy, about 16 years old, with a grey woollen hat and damp blond hair peeking from beneath its edges. His blue eyes look startled and his mouth opens in the shape of an 'o' as he realizes he has met his fellow, and now sole, competitor. This tiny, pale, dark haired girl is the only thing that stands between him and his chance at life. He pulls himself up quickly as Ebony realizes she is now in a new fight for her life, not one with nature, but one with a flesh and blood person who also wants to survive.

Mustering all the strength she has left, Ebony does the only thing she can think to do, and shoves him backwards, hard, with both her hands. He slips back, but manages to catch himself before the fall can take him over the side and to his death. Ebony knows she is too weak from hunger to fight him and turns to run, but before she can take two steps he launches himself at her and brings her to the ground. She has fallen on her back with her knees planted in his chest and moves herself sideways to bring her feet into a position where she can force him off her. He looks into her eyes with a killer instinct, just before Ebony's foot slips to his groin and she kicks him hard with her heel. She doesn't need to force him off her now as he rolls to the side groaning in pain.

It is a fortuitous move and one that gives Ebony the chance to escape again. She could pull her ice pick out of the backpack and finish him that way, but that would take time, time she doesn't have and she knows the exit can't be far. As she struggles to take several more steps away from her attacker, Ebony suddenly feels something shift beneath her feet. It causes her to sink further into the snow, but just within her reach she sees a gap open up in the arena, a gap that surely must be the exit from the mountain, and her salvation. Snow begins to tumble into the underground entry as it widens to take the size of a single person into its mouth. Ebony can see steps leading into a dark cavern and doesn't hesitate to run the few feet to its welcome jaws. The tribute behind her is getting to his feet, but adrenaline drives Ebony forward and she jumps into the gap just as he tries to grab her again. Falling down the first of the steps in her haste to escape, she sees the entry snap shut and her vision of the final tribute is lost, but not before revealing the look of terror that must have been in her own eyes as she tried to escape. Suddenly, she hears the rumble of an avalanche begin. Ebony has found the elusive exit and is on her way home!

Lorcan and Ottilia have rested and Lorcan decides to check his snares. There is a rabbit and a squirrel which they can cook for their dinner later, which means they now have food for the next day or so to keep them going. The stream is becoming more narrow and Lorcan feels that they are coming to the end of this part of the Arena. The woodland is thick and it is much cooler here. Lorcan tells Ottilia to wait at the base of a tree while he climbs it to see whether there is any sign of the exit from higher up. When he gets to the top, he can see the part of the Arena in the distance where the tornado has cut a swathe through the trees, but for the most part all he can see is trees, and the stream they had been travelling along so far. Just before Lorcan climbs back down he notices a more unusual looking tree. It catches his eye because it is flowering and this is not the usual time of year for blossom trees to flower. There is something about it that makes Lorcan think it might be a sign, but it is a long way in the distance and he and Ottilia will have to travel away from the stream to reach it. He decides they don't have much choice and quickly climbs back down to tell Ottilia what he has seen. She is excited to think they may have found their way out of her worst nightmare and gives Lorcan a big hug. She holds him like she never wants to let him go and Lorcan holds her, too. Maybe they will be able to survive after all.

Katniss and Peeta had held each other close all night. They had made love more than once, both in passionate recognition of their survival and also in an effort to stave off their demons. The fabric of their relationship could be delicate at times like these, after everything they had been through. The Games were forcing them to revisit memories of their past…the good, the bad, and the heartache that had brought them together. Their love had eventually overcome that heartache and given them a very real and very deep longing for one another. That longing had brought hope and helped Katniss and Peeta carve out a new beginning. Their love and longing had reached the heights again last night, but daybreak invited only misery as they faced into the reality of the Games again. Peeta hoped that Haymitch had been able to make contact with Gale. Katniss hoped that Peeta knew how much she loved him.


	83. Chapter 83

Chapter 83: Determination

Coriolanus Snow has been watching his granddaughter with interest. She has beaten all the odds and managed to find the exit to the final arena. Perhaps she was a more like him after all, a dogged and determined survivor, and maybe he had been too harsh in his judgements about her. Who knew what control the Stylists had over her during the Tribute Parade and interviews, and how was an innocent child to defy the people holding her captive? It wasn't too late to do something to save her, but he was enjoying the spectacle and would enjoy even more seeing her win the Games, becoming the ultimate Victor and providing the ultimate victory for his cause. It would be another string in his bow, bolstering the illusion of his victimhood, while maintaining his rhetoric about the new Government's hypocrisy. No, he wasn't' ready to rescue his granddaughter yet. There was still too much to gain.

Effie meets Haymitch at the café and tells him that everything has been organized for this evening. She informs him that Gale has been required to bring another Peacekeeper with him, so Haymitch will have to stay out of sight for now. She will let Gale work out how to excuse himself temporarily to meet Haymitch. It will be too risky for Haymitch to meet with Gale in Effie's apartment.

Lorca and Ottilia are making their way towards the tree Lorcan has seen in the forest. Before heading in that direction, they have filled their water bottles after drinking as much as they can by the stream. They had cooked the rabbit and squirrel…Ottilia letting Lorcan do the honours of skinning and gutting them…and are well stocked for the next part of their journey. It is still hot, so they will probably need to take several rest breaks to rest along the way. The heat causes the insects to buzz around them as they walk and Lorcan regrets not thinking to coat their skin in mud before leaving the stream. That would have offered them some protection from the annoying bites that were now becoming irritated by the sun and heat. Ottilia has had to strip out of some of her camouflage gear and is just wearing a vest. rolling up her trousers to try and cope with the soaring temperature. Lorcan is shirtless, his shirt had been clinging to him earlier, but has decided to put it back on as wearing a sweat soaked shirt is preferable to being bitten by the swarming insects. They stop to take a drink of water after an hour or so and Lorcan begins to feel unwell. There is more than an itch coming from his bites and he lifts up his shirt to see the bites beginning to swell, agony registering in every nerve of his body. Ottilia's arms are covered in big welts and she starts to scream.

"We need to go back to the river!" he shouts, grabbing her hand and their backpacks, as he pulls her to her feet and they start to run. It is all he can think of, imagining the coolness of the water and how it will relieve the burning and pain of the insects bites.

"Hurry!" he tells her as she starts to claw at her arms, drawing blood and becoming even more hysterical.

They crash through trees and undergrowth in their haste to reach the water. Lorcan begins to feel his throat closing as the bites take on their full effect. They are not going to make it in time. Ottilia suddenly stops as they reach a bush loaded with berries. Lorcan tries to pull her along, but she remembers something about this bush from the lessons they had been given in training.

"Lorcan, the berries!" she cries.

"What berries?" he asks her in a hoarse voice, trying not to panic at the lack of air reaching his lungs.

"These berries! If we crush them on our skin, the juice will stop the effect of the bites!".

Lorcan can't remember this lesson or anything about berries that can treat an allergic reaction, but he has no other ideas right now and he knows he can't make it back to the stream in time. Ottilia doesn't wait for him to decide and begins to grab handfuls of berries, crushing them in her hands and smearing them over Lorcan's chest. He is in much worse shape than she is, and his whole body is beginning to swell. She doesn't slow down in her efforts to save Lorcan, who had saved her, and soon his body is covered in soothing berry juice as he gasps for air and Ottilia watches him, hoping he doesn't die. As she sits beside him, holding his hand and reassuring him, she takes some berries for herself and begins to treat the wounds on her arms and neck. Lorcan slowly loses consciousness and his breathing becomes shallow, but Ottilia won't let him die. He can't.

The sun is beginning to set and Katniss has been watching the drama unfold before her. She wonders what it is about the bites that have provoked this reaction, and whether the Gamemakers have engineered these creatures like they had the Trackerjackers who had caused her and Peeta so much misery. Maybe Lorcan had an allergy already, but he had been in the forest for nearly a week and the bugs hadn't caused him any problems before. Katniss is convinced it is one of Plutarch's inventions and she wants to kill him right now. He may have rescued her from the arena during the Quarter Quell, but she and the other tributes had been through hell before that and it had all been at his hand. Katniss didn't trust Plutarch, she didn't trust anyone who so capably engineered the misery of others. Gamemakers were unique kinds of people, which is probably the reason they were chosen for the job, and only had their own interests at heart. Even her rescue was to serve another purpose, not one she had chosen and, if Plutarch were here now, she would launch herself at him again.

Gale arrives at Effie's apartment with his Peacekeeper compatriot and they have been allowed to attend in plain clothes which will make Gale's rendezvous with Haymitch much easier. Pulling him aside, Effie quietly informs him that Haymitch is in the Capitol and wants to see him. Gale hopes he can slip away without being noticed, once his "friend" has taken his fill of the refreshments. He knows his fellow Peacekeeper has a penchant for alcohol, a fact which has been kept from his superiors, and Gale plans to take full advantage of that tonight.

Effie is a generous host and the company is lively. Gale hates everything about these Capitol people, but he knows he needs to engage with them in order to meet up with Haymitch. Their thoughts and their speech is so vacuous it makes Gale want to take a drink, too, but he lets his buddy be drawn in by the conversation and the alcohol and decides it won't be long now.

Feigning concern, Effie soon leads Gale's friend to the bedroom telling him he has had too much to drink and needs to lie down for a while. She says she will keep an eye on Gale and pecks him on the cheek just to satisfy him that she means no harm. Effie distracts the other guests by putting the Games on the screen for them to watch and they become engrossed in Lorcan and Ottilia's story as Gale slips out the door to meet Haymitch. It is dark outside and Gale hides himself in the shadows of Effie's apartment complex. Haymitch had seen him exit the building and sidles up to him, tapping him on the arm. Gale jumps and then sees Haymitch's grin in the dim light of the moon.

"Haymitch! How did you manage to get away from 12?" Gale asks him.

"It wasn't hard. They all think I'm a useless drunk and I told them I was coming to see Effie because she wasn't well. I have a note for you from Peeta" Haymitch tells Gale handing him the note.

Gale opens it and reads what Peeta has written.

"How did he get the note to you?" asks Gale.

"He hid it in a loaf of bread" says Haymitch and they both laugh quietly. Peeta is a genius and now they have a way to communicate while the Katniss and Peeta are under House Arrest.

"Can you get a note back to him, then?" Gale asks.

"Sure" says Haymitch. "I won't be able to deliver it in a loaf of bread, but maybe Effie can come up with an idea".

Haymitch has come prepared and gives Gale a piece of paper and a pen so he can write down whatever information is available to him right now. It is a slow and arduous way to communicate, but they have no other choice right now as Gale writes quickly and succinctly about what is happening in the Capitol at the moment. He hands the note back to Haymitch.

"How are they doing?" he asks before letting Haymitch go.

"Ok" Haymitch tells Gale. "Now they know they have a way of contacting you, they will handle it much better. Katniss can't sit still for long, but thankfully she has the children for a distraction and Peeta has been able to go to the bakery, with a Peacekeeper to guard him, during the day".

"As long as they are safe" says Gale. He would much rather be there in 12 with them, but he knows that Paylor keeping him close to her in the Capitol is going to work to their advantage as well. Gale will make sure it does.

Taking their leave of one another, and wishing each other luck, Haymitch goes to prepare for his return to District 12 tomorrow, while Gale collects his drunken friend to bring him back to the barracks. Just before Gale leaves Effie's soiree, he thanks her for being a generous host and a good friend. Effie deserves some recognition. He also gives her a peck on the cheek which he says is from Haymitch, who will see her again soon. Effie tells Gale that she is glad she has been able to help. She only ever wanted to be helpful…even at the time of the first Reaping when Katniss volunteered in Prim's place. She was just doing her job then, but now she is doing so much more. She is doing what she needs to do to help her two favourite Victors and this time she won't let them down.


	84. Chapter 84

Chapter 84: Gifts

Ottilia has remained by Lorcan's side and covered him as best she can as night begins to descend. His breathing is less shallow and he seems to be resting peacefully, but is still unconscious. Peeta arrived home to the drama of Lorcan's collapse and both he and Katniss are captivated by the tender care Ottilia is showing him in the Arena. Ottilia has discovered so much strength in adversity, and those watching on their screens can't believe how much she has changed in such a short space of time. A week ago, and for most of the lead up to the Games, she was a blubbering mess. Now, Ottilia is a warrior, fighting to save the life of her fellow tribute. The audience can't take their eyes off the screen. It goes beyond popular fascination for Katniss and Peeta who know both of their tributes deserve to live. They also know, according to Plutarch's design, only one of them can. It is torture of a very different kind for the brave Victors and Mentors of the Capitol tributes tonight.

Ebony has remained in the entrance of what appears to be a tunnel, unsure about moving forward because she doesn't know what lies ahead. She knows there is a second arena and this tunnel must be leading her there, but she also knows there will be weapons in the next arena and Ebony has no idea who her opponents will be. The tunnel is dark and Ebony begins to feel her way along its walls as she takes her first steps on the journey toward home. She has only walked a few feet when her foot nudges something hard and bulky in the dark space. Ebony kicks it softly to make sure it isn't alive…another invention of the Gamemakers to terrify or trick her. There is no movement from whatever is lying at her feet so she hesitantly places her hands on it, feeling a large bag of some kind containing items of various shapes and sizes. Ebony hopes it is food and tears at the offering left by the Gamemakers as adrenaline surges through her body again. She hasn't eaten since before beginning her climb and her body is becoming emaciated. Hopefully, there is something here that will give her the energy she needs to go on and see the Games through to the end.

Feeling her way through the items in the pack, Ebony finds packaged meals ready to eat. They are small meals, but her stomach wouldn't tolerate anything larger right now. There are packets of what feel like nuts, maybe dried fruits, there are bars of chocolate and some full drinking bottles, but she doesn't know what type of liquid they contain. Ebony decides she will sip them slowly and carefully when she opens them, just to be on the safe side. Next, she feels something hard. It is a long cylindrical shaped item that Ebony knows is not food of any kind. She can tell because it doesn't have any type of opening and as she shakes it, the item begins to glow. It emits both light and heat. Ebony decides to shake it more vigorously and it lights up her temporary shelter, creating warmth and giving her the opportunity to see what else the Gamemakers have gifted to the sole victor of the arctic landscape. As well as the food and clean clothes, Ebony finds a small blanket and soft pillow at the bottom of the bag. These might be the last luxuries she has the opportunity to enjoy before the Games, or her life, come to an end.

Ebony rests the cylinder against the wall of the tunnel and begins to set out a meal for herself. She has one of the dinners, finishes off with a handful of dried fruit and nuts which she washes down with what she knows now is a creamy protein shake. Taking the last little luxury in her hand, at least for tonight, Ebony bites into a piece of chocolate as she nestles her head into the soft pillow and pulls the blanket up around her shoulders. She can finally rest without fear of any of the original Tributes coming to disturb her. There was one thing, though, Ebony hadn't counted on. She hadn't counted on them disturbing her dreams. Ebony spends the rest of the night in a mix of peaceful slumber and terrifying nightmares…of dead and dying tributes.

The following morning Haymitch alights from the train and makes his way back to the Victors Village. He will have to wait for Peeta to come calling in order to pass on the message Gale has given him. Effie has engineered a soft toy for Prim with the note sown into its back. Haymitch hopes the Peacekeepers won't suspect anything and that Katniss and Peeta will know there are many ways to hide communications from prying eyes.

Haymitch settles down to wait for Peeta to come knocking. He is actually looking forward to a decent feed after his long journey and, when Peeta heads back to the Village at lunchtime, he doesn't disappoint. Under his arm are the two obligatory loaves of bread and Haymitch can almost taste the warm, freshly baked bread as his mouth beings to water. He is at the door when Peeta knocks and greets him with a big smile and the doll in his hand.

"Peeta! So good to see you" he says cheerfully.

The Peacekeeper eyes Haymitch with suspicion and Haymitch decides to tone it down a bit, just to be on the safe side.

"How is Effie, Haymitch?" Peeta asks.

"She's feeling much better now" Haymitch replies. "She asked me to bring you this doll for Prim so you would know she has been thinking about you".

Peeta knows that this is no ordinary doll as he and Haymitch exchange their gifts.

"Effie's always so generous" says Peeta as he tucks the doll under his arm. "Hopefully we'll be able to thank her properly soon".

"She has invited me to come back to the Capitol to help with some work she needs to get done in her apartment. I told her I would come back when she is fully recovered and help her out then" says Haymitch.

"That will be good for both of you" says Peeta and thanks Haymitch again as he takes his leave and heads back to the house where Katniss is waiting. Peeta has ensured that the Peacekeeper has his fill of goodies to bring back for his comrades, which will help to distract them while he and Katniss search for the note Peeta is sure is contained somewhere inside the doll. The trick will be hiding it from Prim as she always rushes out to meet him when he gets home.

Peeta discreetly tucks the doll inside his jacket as he and the Peacekeeper head back to the house. Prim can have it later, once they have found the note and Katniss has sown it back together. After leaving the Peacekeeper at the door, and offering Prim a little treat to share with Pik, Peeta finds Katniss in the kitchen with coffee on the stove. He puts the bread on the table and pulls the doll out from under his jacket.

"Is that for Prim?" Katniss asks innocently as she pours Peeta a cup of coffee.

"It's from Gale" says Peeta, taking a knife and carefully cutting some of the stitches in the dolls back.

Katniss crosses to the table and watches Peeta place two fingers into the doll's back in an effort to search for the hidden treasure. It doesn't take him long to feel the edges of a folded note which he pulls out quickly and begins to unwrap. Katniss looks over his shoulder and they read what Gale has written together.

"No word on Snow. Riots in the prison. Paylor wants to set up another interrogation with them. Districts getting restless with the Games and Govt. Situation coming to a head. Stay safe. Gale."

Katniss looks at Peeta. If the prisoners are rioting, it could mean they are ready to give up Snow, or they are angry at the Government, or both. Gale had gotten information out of a prisoner before. Maybe he could do it again. The people in the Districts obviously aren't happy either. Snow is still out there and the Games make the Government look like hypocrites as well. The more tributes that die, the less effective their plan looks and the more opportunity for Snow to win people over with his propaganda. Katniss shakes her head. That wasn't possible, surely? Not after everything they had been through. What was possible was the overthrow of Paylor's government if they couldn't achieve their aim of bringing Snow to justice. Things weren't happening as quickly as Katniss had hoped and that meant more tributes were going to lose their lives. It was becoming unbearable for her, for Peeta and for the tributes still in the Arena.


	85. Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Pressure

Gale has entered the prison in order to carry out further interrogations. Paylor has decided that he is the best man for the job after his success in garnering information from a prisoner the last time. Gale asks for the prisoner who had revealed the threat to the Mockingjay to be brought to him. He wonders how Lorcan's father could be so hardened when his son was obviously such a gentle and caring boy.

The set up for interrogation is the same. A small room with a table in the centre, one chair for the prisoner and one for Gale. Gale watches through the one way mirror as the prisoner is led in from the other side. The man looks older, paler and is not clean shaven like he was the last time. This could be to do with the prison's regime or it could be that he is actually being affected by watching the Games and seeing what Lorcan is going through. Gale will soon find out, and he enters the room with a sense of purpose.

"Well, here we are again" says Gale sounding bored and non-chalant, like the whole thing is becoming tedious. It is the opposite to the way the prisoner must be feeling, so this is Gale's way of beginning the psychological warfare of interrogation.

The prisoner just looks at Gale accusingly, but doesn't say anything.

"Your son is proving to be quite a hit with the people in the Districts" Gale tells him.

The prisoner pushes back his chair in a swift movement and stands up with his hands clenched into fists in his cuffs.

"Sit down, sit down" Gale says waiting for the prisoner to comply. "We're actually quite impressed with him and I'm sure you are, too. Lorcan's very adept at survival, isn't he?"

Still the man remains silent. There is pain in his eyes, but he still refuses to speak.

"We were a little concerned at his reaction to the Gamemaker's ploy with the insects. He hasn't regained consciousness yet, but is resting comfortably for now. He also has an ally who seems to be taking good care of him, but we know that won't last for long…"

"You people are no more than hypocrites!" the prisoner growls. "You cry about the Games and then you re-institute them so that more children die. You already killed Capitol children unnecessarily at the end of the Rebellion…I believe you had a hand in that".

Gale is taken aback at the reference to his "hummingbird" trap. It is one of his most painful memories and the prisoner notes his reaction.

"You were a fool to think the war would end there" the prisoner says. "We were never going to go away, even if Snow had died. Clever of your Mockingjay to work out who the real enemy was though…"

"Coin and Snow were as bad as each other. The Mockingjay recognized that, and she took the necessary action. Little did she know Snow would get away, but we are going to find him soon" Gale says.

"Not on my watch. You've made my son a piece in your Games and all that has done is harden my resolve. Lorcan is resilient and there's a good chance he can win" says the prisoner.

"Are you sure you want to take that chance?" asks Gale. "Your only son, who is prepared to give up his life for others. He actually reminds me a lot of Katniss Everdeen in the Arena. What do you think?" questions Gale.

This is too much for the prisoner who reaches for Gale, but is held back by his restraints.

"My son is nothing like the traitor, Everdeen. He is doing what you have forced him to do, fight for his life" says the prisoner.

"Oh, but he is doing so much more" says Gale. "He is showing the same courage and fortitude as Katniss showed. He is leading people to understand that everything about the Capitol isn't bad, that there is goodness in Capitol people, despite Snow's efforts to convince us otherwise. Lorcan is defying the Capitol's standards of ruthlessness more effectively than Katniss Everdeen ever did. Because he is one of your own, a Capitol child. The son of a ruthless resistance fighter who admires the Victors of the 74th Hunger Games and who knows they admire him, too".

The prisoner calls the Guard.

"Get me out of here!" he demands.

Gale has one more thing to say.

"You can let him die a hero, a hero that stands against everything you and Snow stand for…or you can give us the information we need to save him and put an end to the Games".

"If what you say is true, my son is a traitor and no better than you and your Mockingjay. Let him save himself!" the prisoner finishes.

The man is as heartless towards his own son as he is to Katniss and the original plight of the people in the Districts. Gale knows he will get nowhere with him and ends the interrogation. But, there are more prisoners to interview and Gale is going to work through them all – those who still have surviving children in the Games are his best hope for now. Where there is life, there is hope.

Ottilia wakes as the sun begins to shed its burning rays on them again. She has slept on and off, checking Lorcan's breathing intermittently and waiting for him to wake up. He seems peaceful now, so Ottilia decides to let him rest while she looks for some more berries to gather, in case they are needed again. She would love to go and wash down by the stream, but the walk is too far from here and she doesn't want to leave Lorcan on his own too long. She hums to herself as she wanders through the trees, admiring the beauty of the forest. There are no insects to bother her today and the smell of the woods is refreshing, invigorating even. When she finally gets back to their campsite, she sees Lorcan trying to sit up. He is finally awake and Ottilia rushes over to help him.

"Oh, Lorcan! You're awake!" she says with more than a little excitement in her voice.

"What happened?" he asks Ottilia groggily.

"The insect bites. You had a reaction to them. We both did, but yours was much more severe. You've been unconscious since yesterday, but luckily there were berries to treat the reaction".

Lorcan begins to remember the bites, the itching, swelling and pain. The inability to catch his breath. He looks down at his chest and the marks are still there, but they are not as swollen or angry looking. He looks like he is covered in blood, but that is just the berry juice. Ottilia must have covered him in it and he knows she saved him, just like he had saved her.

"Ottilia, thank you" he says as he takes her hand and gives it a squeeze.

"You saved me first" she tells him, not wanting to focus too much on her heroic efforts. They were as much for her sake as they were for his.

"No, really. I had no idea I was allergic" says Lorcan.

"I think it had more to do with the Gamemakers and their evil inventions" she tells him.

Of course. Lorcan should have known. What he knows now is that they have to keep moving and find that tree, the one with the blossoms. First he and Ottilia need to eat and drink, then they can keep heading in the direction of the exit.

Ebony wakes to find her light source has retreated and taken the heat with it. She quickly shakes it again hoping that there is still some energy left in it which she can use until she exits the tunnel. Thankfully, it burns as brightly as it did last night and she hastily prepares herself another meal which she will need to keep up her energy levels…they are so low after the days she had spent without anything to eat.

With a solid meal in her belly, Ebony packs her bag and lifts the light source to help her negotiate her way through the darkened tunnel. It is cramped and made up of steps which she assumes are leading her back down the mountain. She doesn't know how far she will have to travel, as there are a number of outlying arenas which will have tunnels just like this and they will all lead the survivors to the same place…the second arena and what may be certain death.


	86. Chapter 86

Chapter 86:

Lorcan and Ottilia decide they want to keep moving forward, towards the cherry blossom tree. Lorcan hopes they are travelling in the right direction, but is still a bit disorientated after his reaction and that slows them both down. Ottilia refuses to go ahead of him. She doesn't know what lies in wait and she knows Lorcan wouldn't leave her behind. There are no more insects to bother them, so they keep up a slow and steady pace hoping to reach the tree before nightfall. At about midday, they decide to take a break. The heat is still blistering and, even in the shade of the trees, they are sweltering. The two of them sit at the base of a tree and unpack some food to eat with their water. Lorcan's breathing is still a little bit laboured, so Ottilia insists that they rest as long as they need to so that he can recover. After eating, Lorcan rests his head against the trunk and Ottilia begins to hum a little tune she learnt as a child. Before long she realizes that Lorcan has fallen asleep , so Ottilia decides to leave him to rest while she scouts ahead, searching out the path they need to take.

Ebony has made her way steadily down the steps leading her down the mountain. It's time consuming as she has to be careful not to miss a step in case she falls. The steps are damp and a little slippery, so that doesn't help either. She wonders if there are cameras in the tunnel and if people are watching her progress as she descends. Ebony remembers watching previous Games when the children from the Districts were tributes, and how depictions of every blow, and various commentaries, were given over live TV. Were people watching her now? What do they think of the President's granddaughter and her battle to survive? Do they even care? She doesn't know if the population of Panem know who she is, but surely some of Capitol citizens do. Ebony wonders if she should be trying to win this for her grandfather…show up the previous Victors who have put her in this position. But, then again, it was her grandfather who had made victors out of them in the first place. Maybe he was hoping to do the same with her.

Katniss and Peeta are relieved at Lorcan's recovery after his near demise, but have to temper their viewing of the Games due to Prim's age and her curiosity. They don't want to expose her to the ugliness of the Arena, which they know only too well themselves. Prim is the beauty born out of that ugliness, but she is too young to understand …what her mother and father had been through, how their suffering had eventually brought them together, and that she was a symbol of the love that had been refined in the crucible of the Games. Prim is a bright child and already asking simple, childish questions which Katniss and Peeta are having trouble answering. How do you explain to a child why Peacekeepers must accompany them everywhere they go? Katniss tells her they are doing a special job for the Government and keeping them safe. She wishes that was true. At the same time, Katniss tries to keep Prim away from the Peacekeepers while she tends to Pik and her other chores around the house. Prim likes to help, so that keeps her close to Katniss' side. Katniss decides she will ask Peeta to go for a walk with her to the graveyard after he comes home from the bakery today. She needs to get out of the house. They can take the children, too. The days of summer are long and the fresh air and exercise would do them all good. Of course, a Peacekeeper will need to come with them, but Katniss mostly ignores them anyway, so she tries to put the thought of their lack of privacy out of her mind.

Ottilia has walked further than she thought when she notices something on the ground. It catches her eye because it is pink, and Ottilia loves pink. It is small and round in shape, a petal of some kind. She reaches down and picks it up. The petal is soft and silky and Ottlia rubs it between her fingers before putting it up to her nose to smell its perfume. It's a petal from a cherry blossom tree. She walks further in the direction where she thinks the petal has come from and sees more spread across the ground. They must be closer than they thought. Ottilia rushes back to tell Lorcan. She doesn't think he will be able to go much further today, so this is good news for both of them.

Lorcan is still resting under the tree when Ottilia arrives. His eyes are closed and the first thing she does is bend down to him to check that he is still breathing. A sigh of relief escapes her lips as she feels his soft breath on her cheek. There is no time to wait, though, so she gently shakes him awake and gives him a moment to orient himself.

"Lorcan. I think we are close to the tree" she says.

"What tree?" asks Lorcan, still groggy.

"The cherry blossom tree!"

Lorcan immediately sits up as Ottilia holds out her hand showing him the petals she has gathered from the wood. She tips some into Lorcan's hand and he lifts them up to his nose to smell them. Ottilia is right. It's cherry blossom. The exit to the second arena is finally within reach.

"Ottilia, that's great" he tells her. "I must have fallen asleep. I'm sorry. That reaction must have affected me more than I thought".

"It's fine" says Ottilia. "Are you rested enough to go now?" she asks him, still concerned about him.

"Yes. Let's go. The sooner we get there, the better".

Ottilia agrees. They need to get out of here before the Gamemakers come up with any more evil inventions designed to bring about their demise.

Ebony has finally made it to the base of the mountain. She knows this because the staircase has ended, but she needs to rest as her legs are cramping after being confined to the narrow tunnel. The end of the staircase has brought her into a square concreted area, slightly wider than the corridor she has been negotiating so far. There is a green door ahead of her which isn't marked in any way, but it has to be the exit to the second arena. There are no other doors. In fact, there is nothing else in the small, square room at all. It is empty. Ebony feels the emptiness in her belly as she looks around and decides this is an ideal time to eat and rest before she goes on. The reality is, only the possibility of death waits for her on the other side of this door. Ebony knows her chances of winning the Games and being the sole victor are becoming slimmer. She has managed to survive against the elements, and one unarmed tribute, but there will be weapons in the second Arena, and she is not big or strong. Ebony wonders if her luck may be about to finally run out.


	87. Chapter 87

Chapter 87: Anticipation

Peeta arrives back at the house while the evening is still bright. Katniss greets him at the door with Pik in her arms and Prim at her feet. She kisses Peeta lightly on the lips and he takes Pik from her. Prim is dancing around their feet and asks Peeta if they can go for a walk. He tells her that sounds like a good idea, and the four of them get ready to head out to the graveyard. It doesn't take long and Peeta takes Pik up on his shoulders while Katniss takes Prim by the hand. They tell the Peacekeeper guarding the door that they want to take a walk to the graveyard and he calls a fellow Peacekeeper over, telling him to accompany the family on their walk. The Peacekeeper falls into step behind them as Peeta and Katniss begin the short walk to Prim's last resting place.

"What do you think is happening in the Capitol?" Katniss asks Peeta quietly.

"We probably won't know until Haymitch gets another opportunity to go back" says Peeta. "If there's any major developments there will probably be a Capitol alert…".

"I can't stand being cooped up here, Peeta. We should be doing something to help our Tributes…" Katniss says in frustration.

"I know, Katniss. But we still have Haymitch…and Gale is doing what he can as well. We have to think about Prim and Pik. They need us. And even if we could travel back to the Capitol, I'm not sure there is anything we could do…"

Katniss knows the children have to be their first priority, but Snow would always be her priority, too, as long as he was still alive. Peeta is right, but that still doesn't curb her frustration, or her anxiety for their two remaining Tributes. As they come to the graveyard, Katniss turns to the Peacekeeper.

"I would like a moment alone with my sister" she says.

The Peacekeeper looks uncertain and hesitates for a moment, but finally decides there isn't much Katniss can do to cause a problem here, so he lets her go ahead with Peeta and the children. Katniss draws close to the grave and takes in the beautiful array of primrose that Peeta had arranged for them both as she thinks of Prim. Somehow they have to bring this nightmare to an end so they can finally live in peace. Otherwise, Katniss asks herself, what had Prim died for, and why had she and Peeta lived? Peeta lowers Pik from his shoulders and puts an arm around Katniss. Prim goes to pick a flower. Katniss reacts.

"No! Prim! Don't touch the flowers!"

Peeta looks at Katniss. Prim runs across to Peeta and hides behind his legs.

"Katniss…"

Katniss doesn't know what is wrong with her, she just knows she doesn't want anyone to disturb Prim's grave again. Ever. This was her resting place and it was as close to Prim as Katniss was ever going to get now. Moments later, gathering herself, Katniss regrets her harsh words to Prim.

"I'm sorry Prim. It's just that mummy likes the flowers the way they are, the way your daddy planted them for her, and for me…" Katniss remembers how overwhelmed she had been when Peeta first brought her there and she feels overwhelmed again now, too.

"It was for you" Prim says, her bottom lip trembling as tears fill her eyes.

Katniss' eyes begin to fill with tears, too. She is taking out her frustrations on Prim and none of what was happening now was Prim's fault.

"I know. I'm sorry" Katniss says again, leaning down and picking Prim up, holding her close and kissing her cheek.

Peeta takes Katniss' hand and, after few silent moments, they turn back, towards the Peacekeeper and towards home. Both of them know things won't be right in their world again until Snow is caught. They are quiet on their return and must wait until the children are in bed before they can tune in to the Games again and any possible Capitol newscasts.

Lorcan and Ottilia have followed the petal trail until eventually coming upon the landmark they have been searching for. The trees branches hang down, heavy with blossom, and the smell is enticing. They know this is somehow an indicator of the exit, but are not sure yet how it will lead them out of the first arena. Lorcan stands at the base of the tree, inspecting it. It has a thick trunk and strong branches that he thinks he should be able to climb. There is nothing at the base of the tree that makes Lorcan think the mechanism to release them from the arena is here. Lorcan tells Ottilia to wait while he begins to climb. He leaves his backpack with her as he ascends into the branches. As he reaches a point higher in the tree, it begins to shift, lowering Lorcan suddenly in a manner where he thinks he might fall. He grips the branch tightly so he doesn't slip. The branch dips precariously and close enough to Ottilia that he grabs her hand as she reaches up to catch him. Suddenly the two of them are catapaulted high into the air and thrown several metres, finally landing in a net. It catches them just as the forest erupts into a ball of flames. The arena is alight. The net is on some kind of a trolley mechanism that whisks them to the edge of the forest where it drops them into a chute. Ottilia screams as they slide downwards for several feet before hitting some soft sacking at the bottom.

Lorcan jumps up first and checks to see if Ottilia is alright. She is having trouble getting up, but tells Lorcan she is ok and not to worry. The two of them take a moment to look around. They are in an enclosed space, a small concreted area, and there is a green door in front of them. It must be the door that will lead them to the second arena. Lorcan wants to open it right away, but Ottilia holds him back.

"No, Lorcan. We don't know what's behind the door" Ottilia tells him.

"It has to be the exit to the second arena" Lorcan says.

"But we don't know what could be behind it!" Ottilia says.

"No, we don't. But we've just lost all our supplies and there's nothing else to do now, except keep moving forward". Ottlilia looks at him dubiously. "I'll go first, Ottilia. You stay behind me and, if anything happens to me…"

Ottilia doesn't let him finish.

"We've managed to get this far, Lorcan. Don't think like that. You have to be positive" says Ottilia, not feeling very positive herself. But, she doesn't want anything to happen to Lorcan, so she tries to convince herself as well.

"Ok, but I'll go first. Agreed?" Lorcan asks her.

"Ok. Agreed" says Ottilia.

Lorcan reaches for the lever beside the door.

Ebony has taken food and rest in preparation for the last leg of her journey. Now is the time to gather herself, to take her courage in both her hands and see what awaits her on the other side of the door. It's a lonely place to be, made lonelier by the fact that even her grandfather, Coriolanus Snow, doesn't have her back. He has left her to die. It is as simple as that.

Ebony reaches out her hand to pull down the lever beside the door. She has to use all her weight, but eventually it shifts and the door begins to lift from below. Ebony flattens herself against the wall beside the lever and waits to see if anything appears from underneath as the door slowly ascends. She hears nothing. Sees nothing. There is a glimmer of light and it must be a signpost to where she needs to go. Ebony tentatively turns to face the opening. As she peeks around the edge, she sees a winding tunnel with a shaft of sunlight trying to bend its way around the corner. She is headed out of darkness and into light. Ebony hopes the odds will be in her favour.


End file.
